The industry body highlighted that women remain under‑represented in executive positions across Germany’s book trade, calling for stronger gender‑balance measures.
At the same time, retailers are being asked to prepare for significant cost pressures as Deutsche Post announces expected double‑digit postage rate hikes, which will affect shipping and distribution expenses.
Amid these challenges, the first Bookstore Crawl event is set to take place in Mainz, offering a new promotional format that encourages readers to visit multiple independent shops in a single day.
Organisers said the crawl aims to boost foot traffic and sales for local bookstores while showcasing the city’s literary culture.
Stakeholders urged coordinated action to address the leadership gap, mitigate rising logistics costs and support initiatives like the Mainz crawl that strengthen the domestic book market.