Information on base: German-speaking resident population aged 14 years and older.
Information on random sample: 2017: 23,356 respondents, projection to 70.09 million people 2018: 23,389 respondents, projection to 70.45 million people 2019: 23,318 respondents, projection to 70.60 million people 2020: 23,191 respondents, projection to 70.64 million people 2021: 22,563 respondents, projection to 70.54 million people 2022: 23,015 respondents, projection to 70.60 million people 2023: 23,524 respondents, projection to 70.08 million people 2024 23,485 respondents, projection to 70.48 million people 2025: 23,075 respondents, projection to 71 million people
Further information on methodology available.
This question was asked during the survey in the following wording: "What do you think, how often do you pick up a book - would you say..."
million Germans stated they read books less than once a month. million people did so several times a week. Figures did not vary significantly during the specified time period.Â
Reading habits
In terms of reading habits, most consumers are quite involved with reading magazines, at least as far as print is concerned, and turn to them for anything from inspiration to concentrating on particular articles. Given the much higher revenue of printed books compared to e-books, most people still seem to prefer printed books when reading. At the same time, the number of people reading books on electronic devices (smartphones, tablets, e-readers) is gradually increasing. Print foreign-language newspapers and books are also accessible in Germany, and while the number of people never reading them has remained pretty much consistent, the number of readers who do so regularly is growing.
Children and teenagers
And what of specifically younger reader generations in Germany? Based on recent surveys, reading is one of the most popular free time activities for children in Germany. The share of teenagers who liked to read daily or several times a week fluctuated somewhat, but generally remained at around ** percent.
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IfD Allensbach. (June 18, 2025). Number of people reading books in Germany from 2019-2025, by frequency (in millions) [Graph]. In ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½app×îа汾. Retrieved August 12, 2026, from /statistics/380433/books-frequency-of-reading-germany/
IfD Allensbach. "Number of people reading books in Germany from 2019-2025, by frequency (in millions)." Chart. June 18, 2025. ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½app×îа汾. Accessed August 12, 2026. /statistics/380433/books-frequency-of-reading-germany/
IfD Allensbach. (2025). Number of people reading books in Germany from 2019-2025, by frequency (in millions). ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½app×îа汾. ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½app×îа汾 Inc.. Accessed: August 12, 2026. /statistics/380433/books-frequency-of-reading-germany/
IfD Allensbach. "Number of People Reading Books in Germany from 2019-2025, by Frequency (in Millions)." ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½app×îа汾, ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½app×îа汾 Inc., 18 Jun 2025, /statistics/380433/books-frequency-of-reading-germany/
IfD Allensbach, Number of people reading books in Germany from 2019-2025, by frequency (in millions) ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½app×îа汾, /statistics/380433/books-frequency-of-reading-germany/ (last visited August 12, 2026)
Number of people reading books in Germany from 2019-2025, by frequency (in millions) [Graph], IfD Allensbach, June 18, 2025. [Online]. Available: /statistics/380433/books-frequency-of-reading-germany/