Lira Sees Uncertain Book Market In Hungary In 2012
- 3 Jan 2012 8:00 AM
"Book retailer Lira will close 8-10 outlets in 2012, due to political and economic uncertainty, chairman Tamas Kolosi told Napi Gazdasag. The chain has not opened any new shops in the past two years as demand on the book market started to fall in 2008. Demand hit bottom in the first half of 2011 but recovered slightly in the second half, Kolosi said.
The economic climate makes potential book buyers very cautious, he noted, adding “even those who can afford it do not dare to consume”.
This year’s Christmas season was better for the book market than last year’s, according to director Peter Laszlo Zentai of bookseller association MKKE.
About 20-30% of book sales are usually realised in this peak season.
Nevertheless book sales declined this year from the Ft 61 billion in 2010, Zentai estimated.
The Marai Programme, in which the state purchased Ft 400 million worth of books, helped, he said, although it was planned with a Ft 1 billion budget.
The number of titles also went down this year, due to the uncertainty, Zentai added."
Source: Hungary Around the Clock
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