Figures recently released by The Publishers Association reveal the UK publishing industry to be maintaining its strength, diversity and innovation. Overall book and academic journal sales remain steady at £4.3billion with digital revenues growing to 35 percent of the overall total. Export sales now account for 44 percent of revenue.
Academic journals lead the way in digital publishing with electronic journals now accounting for 79 percent of all subscription income. Consumer fiction remains hot on its heels with ebook sales increasing to 37 percent of total value and trebling in absolute terms in three years.
Such digital strength is also now being seen across other areas of publishing. 2014 saw significant increases in digital sales in: Academic textbooks (up 17%) now at 24% of sector sales; Audiobook downloads (up 24%); Educational materials for schools (up 20%); and Children’s books (up 36%).
Overseas demand for UK-published material remains strong. Exports account for 44 percent of total revenue with English Language Teaching materials remaining the UK's strongest export performer by unit volume. The Middle East/North Africa and East & South-East Asia regions were the areas of strongest growth at 8 percent and 14 percent respectively.
However, The PA figures also reveal a 2 percent decline in overall book sales with non-fiction and reference books showing the biggest drop of 8.5 percent.
