Spain's book sales data misinterpreted: CEGAL clarifies 49.4% zero-sales figure

CEGAL, Spain's association of booksellers, reported that 49.4% of books available in stores sell zero copies per year. This statistic, revealed at the last Congress of Bookstores in Valencia, was widely misinterpreted as indicating half of all published titles never sell a single copy. However, the figure requires context: it counts titles that are in stock but may not be actively marketed or displayed, and does not account for books that sell in other channels or over multiple years. The alarming headline contrasts with the latest Reading Habits Barometer, which shows an increasing number of readers in Spain. The clarification comes amid a paradox of more readers but fewer books read per person.