Poland Ministry of Culture proposes uniform book pricing

The Polish Ministry of Culture is considering legislation to introduce a uniform cover price for new books during their first 12 months of sale. The proposed law, which has been sent to the Government Legislation Centre, aims to protect the book market and support small bookstores by preventing deep discounts on new releases.

The regulations would apply to all formats, including paper books, e-books, and audiobooks. Publishers have launched a campaign titled “Nie podnoście Polakom cen książek” (Do not raise book prices for Poles) to oppose the move. They argue that the restriction on discounts, which currently average around 30 percent, could result in readers paying significantly more for new titles.

In response to these concerns, Joanna Gierak-Onoszko, president of the Literary Union, noted that publishers, rather than the state, ultimately determine the cover price. She clarified that the regulation would limit the ability to lower the price during the first year rather than mandating a specific price increase.