Zero VAT leads to revival of book market in Czechia

22.01.2026

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Zero VAT (Value-Added Tax) rate on books has been a key factor in the recovery of the book market in Czechia.

According to 2024 results, the Czech book market’s volume grew by 6% compared to 2023. Martin Vopěnka, chairman of the Association of Czech Booksellers and Publishers (SČKN) and founder of the Práh publishing house, notes that this growth was uneven. The biggest increases came from audiobooks, electronic publications, and imported foreign literature, whereas the printed book segment grew by only 4%.

“If VAT had remained at 10%, the market would have fallen by approximately 6% year-on-year. It was the zero VAT rate that saved the Czech book market during this period, without exaggeration,” Martin Vopěnka notes in the introduction to the report.

According to the association, in 2024, total book sales in the Czech Republic reached approximately CZK 8.2 billion (about $394 million), and the number of new publications was 12,100. Preliminary data for 2025 (January—November) indicate a further increase, with 11,800 releases in the first 11 months.

The report also highlights that despite positive trends in nominal indicators, the book market in Czechia has been unable to offset the effects of inflation for a long time. According to Vopěnka, books have actually become relatively more affordable, but this has not led to an increase in print runs. On the contrary, the number of copies sold is decreasing.

The SČKN notes that the Czech Republic faces challenges similar to those of other European markets. In response to the crisis, Denmark implemented a zero VAT rate on books, while Slovakia and Bulgaria significantly reduced the tax burden: in Bulgaria, VAT dropped from 20% to 9%, and in Slovakia from 23% to 5%.

A separate trend that is having an increasingly significant impact on sales of new books in Europe is the growing popularity of online platforms for selling used books. According to Vopěnka, this segment still requires detailed analysis, as some of these sales previously took place through small antique shops, the volumes of which were not easy to track.

Major market players are already responding to this trend in Czechia. In particular, the Albatros Media publishing group has invested in Restorio, the Czech-Slovak platform for selling used books, which recently acquired another online bookseller, Trhknih. According to Albatros Media PR manager Eva Karasová, despite the general stagnation of the market, the group has managed to grow for 15 years in a row, thanks especially to its responsiveness to shifts in readers’ preferences and demand.

The Czech Association of Booksellers and Publishers, founded in 1879, currently has around 140 members and is a member of the Federation of European Publishers (FEP) and the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF). It also cooperates with the International Publishers Association (IPA).

Main image: Jaroslaw Adamowski

Source: Publishing Perspectives

Copy editing: Sheri Liguori