Market trends at 30 September 2021

In the first nine months, the books market grew by 25.3% versus 2020 and by approximately 21% versus 2019 – a year unaffected by the pandemic and free of the COVID-related distortions when comparing results – so strengthening and consolidating the positive trend experienced in the second half of the previous year.

The Media relevant market performed as follows in 2021:

  • the advertising market posted a strong increase of 19.3% versus the same period of 2020, which had felt the brunt of the pandemic, and basically returned to the sales levels of 2019; the trends of the individual segments were as follows: digital +24.0%, TV +23.9%, newspapers +6.0%, radio +12.5% and magazines +4.2%;
  • the magazines circulation market declined by 9%;
  • the add-on sales market reported a negative 4% (-9.4% for add-ons bundled with magazines, -1.5% for those with newspapers).

Market's evolution

9M21 1H21 1Q21 FY20 9M20 1H20 1Q20 FY19 9M19 1H19 1Q19 FY18 9M18 1H18
 Trade books +25.3% +36.8% +39.6% +3.3% -3.8% -10.1% -9.6% +5.5% +4.6% +4.0% +0.8% -1.1% -0.4% -0.1%
Media
  • Circulation**
 -6.9% -6.9% -7.6% -11.8% -12.0% -11.3% -8.8% -12.4% -12.3% -12.3% -13.5% -8.6% -9.0% -9.1%
  • Advertising

Print

 +4.2% +3.9% -32.2% +36.6% -40.3% -41.5% -12.2% -13.9% -15,2% -15.4% -13.1% -8.2% -8.9% -8.6%

Web

 +24.0% +29.3% +6.4% +0.8% -7.1% -17.2% +4.8% +3.5% +2.1% +2.0% +3.0% +4.5% +4.0% +2.1%
  • Add-ons
 -4.4% -5.7% -9.6% +17.5% -0.6% -3.7% -2.1% -11.9% -7.9% -6.9% -5.6% -18.2% -10.8% -16.4%

* As of May 2019, GfK expanded its coverage panel by increasing the survey of e-commerce operators; as a result, the overall market value and the relative yoy differences were re-profiled and the details by channel were revised by merging book chains and e-commerce.

* *Starting from 1H 2016, the % variations refer to the whole circulation market trends (newstands + subscriptions)

Sources
Trade book: GFK (value)
Magazine: circulation, internal estimate (value) – advertising, Nielsen (value)