Books are a refuge in times of crisis for the Syndicat national de l'édition (SNE). According to the results of a survey conducted by the Odoxa Institute for the SNE, the confinement has pushed the French to read more, especially young people.
During both periods of confinement, one third of the French (33%) reported reading more. This interest in reading was most pronounced during the first confinement, when there were many restrictions. And it was the youngest, those under 25 years of age, who began to read more during both confinement periods (42%).
The French have mainly chosen books in their favourite genres, but the anxiety-provoking health context also seems to have attracted readers to the world of poetry, cited twice as often as normal (7%).
Reading has served the French primarily to get out of boredom (for 43% of respondents), to disconnect from current events (33%) and to spend less time on social networks (31%). And the 25-34 age group primarily saw reading as a way to avoid surfing the Internet (31%).
Finally, in the event of a third confinement, 85% of French people reject a further closure of bookshops, with senior citizens at the forefront. Although the populations most threatened by the epidemic, senior citizens are almost unanimous (91%) in favour of keeping bookshops open.
"The results of this survey confirm, in figures and percentages, that in the face of uncertainty and the anxiety-provoking over-consumption of the Internet and social networks, books are a veritable antidote for the public, especially the youngest, and that the French are and remain intimately attached to their bookshops "says Vincent Montagne, President of the NIS.
