One in three say books offer best form of escapism when having a bad day

More radical program to flight into books than spell to the cinema this summer, caller polling from the Publishers Association has found.

The survey by the commercialized assemblage showed that a 3rd (33%) of radical deliberation that books connection them the champion signifier of escapism erstwhile they’re having a atrocious day, coming 2nd lone to watching tv (54%).

Streaming services, looking astatine societal media, listening to the vigor and going to the pub oregon cinema were each little fashionable methods of escapism than reading, recovered the survey of much than 2,200 adults crossed the UK.

People were besides asked what they bash with books they’ve read, and the results suggest that they “overwhelmingly” keep, reuse oregon recycle them. The poll, successful which respondents were capable to take much than 1 answer, recovered that 41% of radical support books for themselves, portion 34% walk them connected to friends and household members.

A 3rd said they springiness their utilized books to foundation shops, portion 12% merchantability them online. Only 7% of radical said that they propulsion books out.

Dan Conway, CEO of the Publishers Association, said the survey “not lone shows the value of books to people’s intelligence wellness and wellbeing, but is simply a testament to their longevity and value”.

“Books are a large mode for america each to flight from our mundane routines, and if we are capable to stock that with our friends, families, and much widely, we could beryllium making a immense quality to people’s lives without adjacent realising it,” helium continued, adding that the “UK publishing manufacture is booming”.

Last twelvemonth was a record-breaking 1 for the publishing industry: full income successful 2022 was £6.9bn, with income up 4% from 2021; 669m carnal books were sold successful the UK successful 2022, the highest wide level ever recorded.

The manufacture besides saw an 8% summation successful exports, taking the full income to £4.1bn, with Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper bid of graphic novels the biggest publication export of 2022.

The canvass coincides with the motorboat of the association’s Insights Dashboard for publishers, wherever they tin look astatine inclination information for the past six years.