Behind the scenes

Summer heat is driving book sales – particularly among women

25.7.2025

Translation: Katherine Martin

Is summer reawakening our love of reading? Judging by Galaxus’s sales figures, it certainly looks that way. The online retailer sold 62 per cent more e-readers and twice as many books in June 2025 than it did in June 2024. Women accounted for significantly more purchases of printed books than men.

Depending on where you are, the summer holidays will either be just around the corner or have already started. This year, more people would apparently rather spend their summer break reading on the beach than working up a sweat. Galaxus saw quite the literary bonanza kick off in June 2025, with the retailer selling 62 per cent more e-readers (ch/de) than in June 2024. At the same time, sales of accessories such as waterproof covers, ideal for reading by a pool or lake, were up 68 per cent. Inken Bischoff, Category Business Manager at Galaxus, reveals which e-readers are most popular: «A clear trend we’re seeing is that colour displays have become more established in e-readers within the last year – more and more people are buying them. The figures vary by brand, but about 60 per cent of the e-readers we sell these days have a colour display. Mind you, a lot of people still buy devices with a tried-and-tested, monochrome display.»

Despite the trend towards digital products, printed books (ch/de) are still highly sought-after on Galaxus. Sales of print titles doubled between June 2024 and June 2025, with revenue also taking an upward swing. Martin Baumann, Category Business Manager at Galaxus, says: «In Switzerland alone, our revenue’s grown by 80 per cent this year compared to last year. That’s despite the fact our analyses show the print book market has shrunk by more than two per cent. We’ve been able to significantly expand our product range – we now stock over 1.7 million different books.»

When you look at the demographics of people buying books, a clear pattern emerges. Women buy considerably more printed books than men, particularly when it comes to fiction and how-to books. In fact, female customers account for 30 per cent more sales in these categories. While men are slightly more likely to buy e-readers, women are more likely to read in general – and prefer traditional paper books. It’s unclear whether this trend is down to the summer holiday season, a desire for some me-time or simply that women receive better book recommendations from friends.

The best-selling print titles present a mixed picture, consisting of lightheartedness, self-improvement and literary suspense. In the fiction category, The Housemaid’s Secret by Freida McFadden, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and «Vermisst – Der Fall Emily» (English: Missing – The Emily Case) by Christine Brand made it into the top three on galaxus.ch. Meanwhile, «Chosen – Träume aus Gold» (English: Chosen – Dreams made of Gold) by Emily Bähr, Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros and Quicksilver by Callie Hart topped the book charts in Germany.

In Switzerland, The Child In You: The Breakthrough Method for Bringing Out Your Authentic Self by Stefanie Stahl, Woman on Fire by Sheila de Liz and «Babyjahre» (English: The Baby Years) by Remo H. Largo came up trumps in the how-to book category. In Germany, on the other hand, it’s cookbooks and dog training books dominating the how-to charts.

One factor potentially driving the demand for books is the fact that reading and summer heat go well together. While intense workouts are more likely to fall by the wayside on a hot summer’s day, reading in the shade is an ideal way to pass the time. You don’t need Wi-Fi or sports gear – just a decent book or a charged e-reader.

News + Trends
Swiss books are piled up on Swiss bedside tables
by Oliver Fischer

Which European nation reads the most books?

In January of this year, Galaxus published a representative survey on reading habits in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and Italy. Switzerland was revealed to be home to the most bookworms, most of whom were women. French and German respondents proved to be comparatively less keen on reading. However, what Europe’s readers did seem to be in agreement on was the genre and type of books they find enjoyable. You can read our report on the survey on galaxus.ch or galaxus.de.

How about you? Are you planning to use the summer for reading?

Header image: MaleWitch / iStockphoto

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Daniel Borchers

Senior Communications Manager

Daniel.Borchers@galaxus.de

A soft spot for good series, loud music, science fiction and (second division) football. As PR Manager, I am available to answer journalists' questions about Galaxus and honest e-commerce.

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