In resistance against literary overproduction, these Paris booksellers are putting a stop to new releases

“The turnover is so fast that we don’t have to even more time to read,” complains Claire, a bookseller in the 20th arrondissement of Paris, who tries in vain to put away her stacks of Booksthis Wednesday, January 22, 2025. Like her, many professionals are drowning in the flood of 300 works which go out on average every day in France. In response, several bookstores in the capital have chosen to reduce the new releases on their shelves.

“The profession has become frustrating”

If readers are delighted to find the new Pierre Lemaitreor the last Murakami, this winter literary return highlights the concerns of booksellers. Due to lack of personnel to tidy up, or lack of time, “the profession is become frustratingbooksellers still have their heads buried in boxes,” confirms Guillaume Husson, General Delegate of the French Bookstore Union (SLF).

“I get lost, there are always new books when I come, remarks a customer with her head in the window, I must surely miss something that might please me.” According to the SLF representative, the mass is such that it becomes “difficult to select works”, especially since “editors are putting pressure”.

A truce of novelties

Faced with this situation, Anaïs Massola, bookseller at Rideau Rouge (18e) and co-founder of the association for the ecology of books, launched with several colleagues a “truce of novelties”. The idea? Partially or completely suspend office purchases to lighten the pace. The purpose of this initiative is “to provide breathing space for booksellers and to regain control of our profession,” she explains.

All the more so since this movement, which was followed by a twenty bookstores last year, had “almost no impact on sales,” she said. On the contrary, his bookstore reduced its purchases by 17%, while its turnover increased. increased by 3%. “Less pressure, more breathing,” she sums up. An action which will continue this year, in March and April.

Books destroyed

After “fast fashion”, here is the era of literary overproductionwith its own consequences, particularly ecological. In fact, independent bookstores return 17% of their unsold books to distributors – those who transport books from the warehouse to bookstores – and are subsequently destroyed. “This percentage is increased tenfold for large areas and online sales platforms,” says Guillaume Husson. Nationally this would amount to between £140 million and £145 million a year. “An ecological disaster”, according to the general delegate of the SLF.

Faced with this, some consumers opt for solutions more radical. “I don’t buy in bookstores anymore, I just come and look at the books,” says Lucas as he leaves the store, “I find them second hand on platforms like Vinted or Momox”. According to a study carried out by the Ministry of Culture and La Sofia, the market share of second-hand books is increasing. progress in recent yearsto reach nearly 20% of books purchased in 2022.

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