The crisis and piracy are two of the factors being blamed for a 35% decline in sales in bookshops in Andalucia in the past three years.
The Christmas period is expected to be quite poor compared to 2011 and the outlook for 2013 is not rosy. One of the problems relates to internet downloads, but not that the digital copy is replacing paper but more a question of piracy.
During the period there has been a steady trickle of bookshops closing down in the region, adding to the ranks of the unemployed.
Other factors affecting the sector are the ‘book cheques’ provided to parents at the beginning of each school year which are then fully redeemed, in theory at least, by tyhe Junta de Andalucia. However, this is just another in a long line of debts which remain unpaid by the regional government. At least in this case they have paid around 80%, but it is a long time since the school year began.