Fixed book prices return to the European debate in Poland
The proposal seeks to protect independent bookshops but divides the trade and competition authorities.
Poland is again debating fixed book prices as a possible response to the decline of independent bookshops and the concentration of distribution. A Culture Ministry proposal would bind the price of new titles for 12 months, cap wholesale discounts and introduce new sales-data reporting requirements. The Polish Book Chamber argues that the measure could rebalance a market dominated by large operators; the national competition authority fears negative effects on consumers and competition. The discussion, reported by Publishing Perspectives on 21 October, also resonates across other Central European markets. France, Germany, Italy and Spain already use forms of price regulation, so the Polish case revives a broader question: how can bibliodiversity and access be protected without freezing competition?