In 2026, Ukrainian Publishers Association forecasts 30% rise in book prices

Based on an analysis of data from the Ukrainian Publishers Association, the average price of books in Ukraine has increased by at least 20–30% over the past year.

According to the association, publishers are forced to raise retail prices or sacrifice print runs and quality as a consequence of complex pressures: rising costs of printing, logistics, labor, and increased production risks during wartime.

The average price of a book published by Vivat has risen by 29% over the year. Yuliya Orlova, Vivat co-owner and CEO, said that at the beginning of 2025, the average cost of a book was 280 hryvnia (about $6), and by December it had reached 360 hryvnia (about $8).

Among the main drivers of the price rise at Vivat are inflation, which has affected all segments of production, rising logistics costs, and the lack of strategic raw materials in Ukraine (paper and printing materials, which have to be imported), as well as higher fees for authors and editors and higher salaries for publishing house employees in order to retain professional staff.

Nash Format has also experienced price growth. Anastasiia Nikitina, Nash Format executive director, noted that the average retail price of books has increased by approximately 20% over the past year, primarily due to rising printing, logistics, and production expenses.

“In 2024–2025, printing services had the greatest impact on cost growth. Due to massive shelling, power outages, and increased production risks, printing houses significantly raised their prices. Inflation also added approximately 15% to the total manufacturing and logistics costs,” Nikitina said.

The cost of translation rights has also risen a bit, a representative of Nash Format publishing house said. Increased competition for high-quality projects in the international market has also influenced the final price of books.

At the same time, Nash Format emphasizes that despite the real increase in costs, publishers are trying to keep retail prices down, so the increase for readers has been more moderate than it could have been.

Nata Protas, director of the Zhorzh publishing house, noted that the publishing process is lengthy. For most books, the publisher covers expenses long before the release. By the time the publication is being sold, all costs have increased further, eating into the margins of publishers seeking to recoup rising expenses.

The Ranok publishing house points out that over the past two years, the price of children’s books (with color printing, illustrations, and non-standard forms) has become particularly noticeable. The biggest price increases have been for paper (especially coated paper), color printing due to the rising cost of ink and energy, binding materials, logistics, and imported components, the price of which depends on the exchange rate and the complexity of delivery.

Ranok publisher predicts that in 2026, book prices may rise by another 20–30% or even more. Vivat has issued a similar forecast, anticipating that the average price of a single publication will reach 400-420 UAH.

Artem Bidenko, chair of the board of the UPA, told Chytomo that the association has prepared two draft laws on additional preferential regimes for the industry, which would minimize production costs.

“We are consulting with lawmakers to understand how realistic it is to at least temporarily support an industry that directly affects education, technology, and science. Otherwise, books will continue to become more expensive,” Bidenko commented.

The Ukrainian Publishing Association has 97 members and has been undergoing an update since August 2025: In particular, the website www.upa.ua has been fully operational since Jan. 15, 2026.

According to data from the international report by NielsenIQ BookData and GfK Entertainment, in 2025, even with income growth in most countries, global book sales volumes are expected to decline in many cases, prompting publishers to offset this drop by increasing prices.

RELATED: Ukrainian Book Institute reports rising book prices, small print runs for Ukrainian authors, growing popularity of comic books

Copy editing: Joy Tataryn

Copy editing: Telegraf