(at consumer prices)
The turnover of the book trade last year amounted to 67,611,059.000 HUF.
(Registered turnover in 2007 amounted to 66,915,287,000 HUF, meaning that last year's increase was only 1 %. Since last year's official inflation rate was 6 %, the moderate increase in the book market actually means stagnation.)
The 2008 turnover of the 172 publishers supplying data amounted to 61,171,899,000 HUF, which is 90.5 % of the total turnover in the book market.
The turnover from imported books was 4,838,000,000 HUF in 2008.
The turnover of publishers not supplying data or only publishing a small number of titles, respectively, is estimated at 800,000,000 HUF.
The discount turnover of half-priced books is estimated at 800,000,000 HUF.
Book turnover by category
1. The market for public education books and language teaching books increased by nearly 4 % last year, producing a turnover of 17,255,589,000 HUF or 25.5 % of the sector's total turnover. Thus, it was again the segment with the largest turnover in the book market. (In 2007, the turnover of this segment amounted to 16,630,436,000 HUF or 24.8 %.)
2. The position of popular science books within the book trade worsened significantly last year, with turnover in this segment decreasing by more than 1 billion HUF. This 6 % decrease was achieved with a turnover of 16,333,716,000 HUF, equalling a 24.1 % share of the total book market. (The 2007 turnover of popular science books amounted to 17,378,735,000 HUF, i.e. 26 % of the market.)
3. The segment of belles-lettres or fiction showing an outstanding performance two years ago showed a slight decrease in 2008, but still maintained its position, which is a good one internationally as well. The segment's 2008 turnover amounted to 12,032,484,000 HUF or 17.8 % of the total book market. (In 2007, the turnover of fiction titles was 12,917,020,000 HUF, i.e. 19.3 % of the book market.)
4. In the segment of specialist books, academic books, encyclopedias, dictionaries and other publications used in higher education, the dramatic loss of market encountered for five years now continued in 2008-as state subsidies have completely ceased. Last year's turnover amounted to no more than 7,172,683,000 HUF or 10.6 % of the total book market. (In 2007, it was 8,539,547,000 HUF or 12.7 % of the market. The drastic decrease of this book publishing segment that continues to be the largest with regard to the number of titles is illustrated by the fact that the turnover of publications used in higher education has decreased by more than 3.5 billion HUF over the past five years!)
5. There has been a change of trends in the market for children's and juvenile books: With an increase of more than 30 % and an increase of turnover by more than 2 billion HUF to 8,591,176,000 HUF, the segment has reached a 12.7 % share of the total turnover. (In 2007, the turnover of books for young readers amounted to 6,576,161,000 HUF or 9.8 % of total turnover.)
An increase comparable to that of the children's and juvenile books segment was achieved in the market for CDs, CD-ROMs and audiobooks. Audiobook sales still account for slightly less than 1 % of the market, but sales of discs containing mostly databases again showed a spectacular increase last year. The segment's turnover in 2008 amounted to 5,989,234,000 HUF or 8.9 % of the total market. (In 2007, the turnover in this publishing segment was only 4,872,387,000 HUF, i.e. 7.3 % of total turnover.)
2008 sales of imported books have remained at the level of 2007. The turnover of foreign language books from abroad accounted for 7.2 % of last year's total turnover with 4.838.000.000 HUF. (In 2007, the figures were 4,857,000,000 HUF and 7.26 %.)
The market for half-priced books accounted for 1.2 % of the sector total in 2008.
There were no significant changes with regard to the concentration in the Hungarian publishing sector last year.
In 2008, 14 enterprises produced 58.35 % of the total sector turnover.
40 publishers produced 77.23 % of the total turnover.
172 enterprises produced 90.48 % of the total turnover.
Foreign-owned publishing companies in Hungary have further strengthened their market positions. Their total turnover in 2008 amounted to 21,451,749,000 HUF, i.e. 31.7 % of the sector's total turnover. (In 2007, their market share was 30 % with a turnover of 20,134,717,000 HUF.)