Sales of children’s books and specific genres have soared, marking the highest levels since the 1990s. According to data from NielsenIQ BookData, spending on quiz books surged by 24%, while sales of bibles increased by 19% in 2025. This growth is significant, as it represents the highest figures recorded since the data collection began in 1998.
Despite these increases, the overall spending on non-fiction titles has decreased, reaching its lowest point since 2014 at £791 million, which reflects a year-on-year decline of 5%. The volume of non-fiction sales also fell by 6%, totaling 59 million units. In contrast, spending on adult fiction rose by 5%, although total print book sales in the UK dipped by 0.5% to £1.81 billion.
Market Insights and Trends
Philip Stone, head of publisher account management at NielsenIQ BookData, noted that the findings for 2025 illustrate a resilient book market. “Readers continue to invest in stories despite a softer year overall,” he stated. Fiction emerged as a standout performer, propelled by robust growth in genres like sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and graphic novels. Additionally, children’s and young adult literature recorded encouraging gains in key areas.
However, non-fiction faced more challenges. The popularity of trivia and quiz books, along with religious titles, underscores a sustained demand for both escapism and insight among readers. The average cost of a book reached a record level, increasing by 2% to £9.52, attributed to rising production costs and inflation.
Audiobook sales also saw a notable increase of 6% during this period, while comic strips and graphic novels gained popularity.
Bestsellers and Author Rankings
The NielsenIQ bestseller list for 2025 was topped by Richard Osman with his book The Impossible Fortune, released in September, selling 478,000 copies. He was followed by Charlie Mackesy’s Always Remember and Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid.
Children’s author Julia Donaldson, known for her work on The Gruffalo, emerged as the UK’s bestselling author in 2025 with total sales of 3.3 million copies, surpassing Freida McFadden’s 2.6 million and Dav Pilkey’s 1.5 million.
Stone emphasized the ongoing energy in the market, noting, “With bestselling authors such as Richard Osman, Freida McFadden, Julia Donaldson, and Dav Pilkey leading another solid year, publishers, booksellers, and authors continue to keep the market energised, innovative, and full of opportunity.”
This momentum comes as the industry prepares for the National Year of Reading, aiming to inspire more individuals across the UK to make reading a regular part of their lives.
The statistics were released ahead of The London Book Fair, which is scheduled to take place from March 10 to 12, 2025, at Olympia London.
