Boek en markt; effectiviteit en efficiëntie van de vaste boekenprijs

Depending on the prevailing cultural policy objectives with regard to ensuring a wide diversity and accessibility of books offered for sale, more efficient options would be to introduce a slimmed-down version of the fixed book price, a subsidy for booksellers, or not to employ any policy instruments at all. This is not to deny that the fixed book price can make an effective contribution to the achievement of cultural policy objectives. The system does however have important disadvantages, for example in the sense that its non-compulsory application makes it uncertain whether the envisaged cultural policy objectives will be realised. Moreover, it reduces the incentive for booksellers to gear their stocks and services to demand. It also discourages the development of alternative sales channels, such as the Internet.

As a result, the fixed book price can lead to higher average retail prices for books, and thus have a negative impact on the consumption of books.

This publication is in Dutch.