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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 14-03-23
CONTENTS
[01] German booksellers ask PM to reconsider abolition of uniform
book prices
[01] German booksellers ask PM to reconsider abolition of uniform
book prices
ANA-MPA -- In a letter to Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, the
German publishers and booksellers association spoke out against an
abolition of uniform prices for books being planned in Greece as a
reform to boost competitiveness, saying it would not result in economic
benefits but cultural decline instead. Noting that this was contrary
to the Greek EU presidency's programme, the letter asks Samaras to
re-examine the issue and its possible risks.
"In countries where the system of uniform book prices was abandoned, we
saw the average price of books increase. Only a few, high-selling titles
are put into the market in high quantities and low prices by supermarkets
and other large retail chains. The result of this is a restriction of
choices, fewer titles available to readers at attractive prices and the
bookshop network decreases. This development is not easily reversed," said
Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels President Heinrich Riethmüller.
Riethmüller said that he shared the concerns of Greek publishers,
booksellers and authors that disagree with the proposed measure, which
would abolish uniform book prices with the exception of first editions
of literature. He notes that the uniform pricing system has been used
in Germany for the last 150 years and by law since 2002, since policy
makers agreed that books were not simply another commodity but had a
special cultural value that was not subject to market laws, in the way
of other goods.
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