In 2024, the publishing market continued its growth, witnessing a 9% increase, reaching 204 million euros compared to the previous 187 million euros. Seventy-six percent of Portuguese people reported reading at least one book in the past year, a slight increase from 2023’s 73%, although the average number of books read per person decreased to 5.3 from 5.6 the previous year.
Among those who read, the average number of books read also fell, from 7.9 in 2023 to 7.2 in 2024, according to research conducted by Gfk for APEL, presented today at the Book 2.0 — The Future of Reading event, taking place until Thursday at the Champalimaud Foundation in Lisbon.
“These findings confirm that although the growth of the book market in Portugal demonstrates a stable base of readers, and despite the advancements over the past five decades in access to education and books, purchasing and reading books have not yet become a regular practice or a deeply ingrained daily habit for most Portuguese families,” said Miguel Pauseiro, president of APEL, as cited in the study’s presentation dossier.
“The role of schools, families, and society in general is crucial so that books are ultimately seen as an essential tool for citizenship and human potential development, and so that reading turns into a sustainable lifelong habit,” emphasized the representative of publishers and booksellers.
Reading for leisure is an activity practiced by approximately 60% of Portuguese individuals aged 15 and older, according to the study, with a preference for physical books over digital editions.
Women and individuals aged 35 to 54 are among the most loyal readers, and the age group between 25 and 34 shows the highest reading index. The most significant growth in reading engagement is observed among those aged 15 to 24.
