85% of Finns read books, but purchases of paper editions are becoming increasingly rare

According to the eighth wave of the “Mitä Suomi lukee” (“What Finland Reads”) 2025 study, conducted by Taloustutkimus on behalf of the Finnish Book Association and the Finnish Publishers’ Association with the support of the Bookstore Foundation, Finns read about 16 books per year.

They read or listen to books in any format in their free time. On average, each person reads more than 16 books per year: 10 of them are printed, four are audiobooks, and two are e-books.

Seventy-four percent of respondents prefer paper books, 28% listen to audiobooks, and 12% read e-books. Women read nearly twice as many printed books as men and listen to audiobooks three times more frequently.

Reading remains the second-most popular leisure activity in Finland, following music. At the same time, audiobooks are ranked last among leisure activities, with only 14% of Finns listening to them “very willingly.” Fifteen percent of young people (aged 15–30) choose audiobooks simply because they do not like to read.

The survey results demonstrate a decline in the popularity of paper books. Thirty-four percent of Finns did not buy a single printed book during the year (compared to 26% in 2022), and only 14% purchased more than eight books.

Subscriptions to reading and listening services are purchased by 23% of respondents, most of whom use them actively: 57% have listened to or read at least nine books there. Purchases of individual e-book files are declining: only 6% purchased them outside of subscription platforms.

Average spending on paper books has dropped from €97 in 2022 to €67 in 2024. Among those who buy books, the annual expenditure is approximately €122, with an additional €113 spent on reading services. Overall, Finns now each spend an average of €87 per year on books, down from €129 two years ago.

The price of a book has become less decisive. Thirty-eight percent of buyers listed it among the top five factors. The choice increasingly depends on the subject and the author’s name. The most popular genres are detective stories, crime fiction, history, and memoirs. Thirty-three percent of women choose romance, while 40% of teenagers aged 15-19 prefer science fiction and fantasy. In the oldest group (80+), 70% read Finnish fiction.

The survey was conducted in December 2024. A total of 1,779 Finns aged 15 to 80 were surveyed.

Read the complete survey results through the link.

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Main image: etu.fi

Copy editing: Joy Tataryn