Book trade consolidation

THE NEXT 10 years will see the number of major players in the book trade reduce to three or four, according to Tim Hely Hutchinson, Chief Executive of Hachette Livre UK. He was speaking at the London Book Fair session Publishing – The Next Decade, organised by Jacks Thomas of Midas and London Book Fair (LBF) Director Alistair Burtenshaw, and probably the most well-attended event of the LBF.

Hely Hutchinson sees further consolidation as inevitable to increase publishing bargaining power in a tight market. “Trade publishers feel squeezed competing for authors and retail space,” he said. “Increased publishing strength in relation to retailers will redress the balance of power. I see the number of major players becoming fewer over the next few years, down to about three or four.”

From Publishing News.