Higher book prices for Canadians in the year 2025
In recent months, several publishers such as Tor Books, Henry Holt, and St. Martin's have increased their book prices by between $3 and $7. This trend is particularly noticeable in the digital realm, with e-book prices in Canada seeing a significant increase in 2025, according to Yahoo Finance.
The surge in e-book prices has been a topic of discussion, but the causes remain elusive. While it's clear that digital sales, including e-books, now account for a larger share of book publishing revenue, there's no direct evidence suggesting that publishers are strategically raising prices to offset lower print book sales or to improve profit margins.
Industry trends, such as the rise of digital book sales and audiobooks, and experimentations with pricing by publishers and retailers, provide some context. For instance, Verso held an 80% e-book sale in August 2025. However, these trends do not provide clear insights into the factors driving the recent e-book price increases in Canada.
Interestingly, while hardcovers in Indigo Books and Music stores see a 20% markdown a couple of weeks after a big book release, e-books maintain their original price. This discrepancy in pricing strategies between physical and digital formats is worth further investigation.
The increase in e-book prices is not a new phenomenon. They have been rising since they were first reported in mainstream media in 2012. The average price for e-books in Canada increased by 13% in 2025, while the average prices for hardcovers and paperbacks rose by 7% and 4% respectively.
Despite the price hike, the number of readers continues to grow. The percentage of readers who read at least once a day increased by 5% between 2023 and 2024, reaching 43%. Moreover, more readers chose books within their budget in 2024 compared to 2023.
The preference for audiobooks is also on the rise, with the percentage of readers who prefer audiobooks increasing from 8% in 2020 to 15% in 2024. Interestingly, the majority of readers prefer listening to a human narrator over synthetic narration.
One theory suggesting the cause of the e-book price increase is the rising production costs for physical books, which some analysts speculate may influence e-book prices. However, this remains a speculation without concrete evidence.
Another noteworthy point is that half of Canadian readers want to know where books are printed or shipped from, indicating a growing awareness and concern about the origins of the books they read.
In conclusion, while the reasons behind the significant increase in Canadian e-book prices in 2025 are not explicitly reported in the sources, the trend is undeniable. Further investigation is needed to understand the factors driving this increase and the strategic intent of publishers.
