Adverse Effect of Sanctions
Even with Western sanctions and rising paper costs, Russians began to buy printed books more frequently in April 2022. Socialbites.ca reported this trend from Wildberries, noting a 78% year‑over‑year rise in print publications. Spokesperson Alexei Tretyak said demand was strongest for works in foreign languages, comics, and second‑hand books.
“In April, book sales rose 78% compared with last year, foreign language books climbed 144%, comics 94%, and second‑hand titles 132%,” he stated. The most popular topics included psychology and self‑development, according to the vendor.
Writer Sergei Lukyanenko attributed this counterintuitive effect to a shift away from other entertainment forms due to sanctions, with books serving as an escape from stress and falling real incomes. He noted a significant decline in cinema distribution inside Russia, and cited disruptions to online services like Netflix as contributing factors.
He added that since late February, many Russians sought relief from the uncertain situation, and books offered a practical refuge from the crisis.
What do booksellers think?
Major bookstore chains confirmed growing interest in paper books. The Biblio-Globus trading house reported that over the past two months, fiction accounted for 29% of sales, with children’s and foreign literature at 13% each, history at 7%, and psychology at 6%.
Larisa Vedenyeva, an assistant to Biblio-Globus’s goods and services management group, observed that demand had not diminished despite sanctions. She suggested readers fear losing access to favorites and stock up for future needs, though this concern may be unfounded since leading publishers did not see a drop in turnover.
Lukyanenko saw another driver: readers stocking up on paper editions for the long term, especially classics by Pushkin or Tolstoy, which can occupy shelves for years.
In Moscow, the Moscow Trade House noted shortages and higher prices as possible reasons for increased demand. Ekaterina Mosina, deputy director general, shared this view with Socialbites.ca.
Natalia Sokolova, head of advertising at the Moscow Book House, offered a contrasting picture for March–April, where store attendance declined. In uncertain times, people tighten spending, and books can fall out of favor as essentials rise in priority.
Fiction remains popular among adult readers, making up about a quarter of sales. Buyers show interest across genres, from classical to contemporary works. The market also saw a 60% rise in demand for original language publications in 2022, reflecting readers’ preference for authenticity and access to diverse voices.
In non‑fiction, buyers pursued psychology, parenting, healthy living, hobbies, esotericism, and studies of Russian history, with a growing curiosity about self‑knowledge and personal growth. Lukyanenko noted that younger readers and students display unusual enthusiasm for history and fiction, including Orwell, Zamyatin, and Remarque, whose works are perceived as relevant to current global dynamics, helping readers contemplate power, international relations, and freedom.
How prices have changed
From the start of 2022, average book prices rose as dealers and publishers increased pricing to cover higher costs. Vedenyeva cited higher costs for coated paper and printing inks as contributing factors, with the expensive art albums and illustrated gift prints showing the sharpest increases. Overall, price ranges vary by category, roughly from 300 to 500 rubles for many titles.
Oleg Novikov, head of the Eksmo‑AST group, noted a 20% rise in average book cost since early 2022. He pointed to elevated production costs and paper shortages, driven by European paper suppliers withdrawing from the Russian market, as key drivers. In Eksmo, the average softcover sits around 325 rubles and hardcover around 561 rubles, with some genres and bindings reaching higher figures, especially when translation and premium production are involved.
At the Moscow publishing house TDK, prices did not increase, but Mosina reported that many shipments in March 2022 arrived at 10–20% higher costs than before. The Moscow Bookstore chain showed a varied price picture: fiction averaging 670 rubles, non‑fiction 950 rubles, art albums about 2,400 rubles, and children’s books around 750 rubles.
By March–April 2022, Sokolova from the Moscow Book House recorded a 14% rise in average book prices, with indications that prices could climb another 20–25% as stock levels and market conditions shift. The overall average in the Moscow Bookstore network stood at roughly 620 rubles, compared with 540 rubles a year earlier and 430 rubles three years prior. These figures reflect a market navigating sanctions, supply challenges, and demand dynamics while readers adapt to new economic realities.