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Latest book sales data from NielsenIQ BookData suggests Bible sales grew last year.
Data for 2025 was published by the group ahead of the London Book Fair taking place at Olympia London this week.
It found that in 2025 sales of Bibles rose by 19 per cent on the previous year, reaching £6.3m. This marks a considerable increase on the £3.6m generated by Bible sales in 2019, the Guardian reports.
It compounds the findings of a recent analysis of NielsenIQ BookData by Christian book publisher SPCK which found that Bible sales in the UK rose by 87 per cent from £2.69m in 2019, to £5.02m in 2024.
SPCK said this rise could be seen across people of all ages but “especially younger readers”, and reflected a “renewed interest” in Scripture.
“This isn’t just a publishing story: it’s a sign that many are searching for meaning and stability in a changing world,” it said.
Lauren Windle, publishing director at SPCK, said that the sales trend pointed to a hunger in young people for more than the world can offer.
“Growing up in the social media age has given Gen Z easy access to so many things that were previously prized and rare,” she said.
“They have the keys to demonstrable popularity in the form of likes and followers – all they need is a little algorithm know-how.
“They can be better looking than any previous generation – with every make-up tutorial and workout at their fingertips. They have all the convenience, never needing to pick up an encyclopedia to find answers or even to walk to the chip shop to collect a takeaway. The world sits at the end of their fingertips and yet it’s not enough.”
Other Nielsen data shows that quiz books are increasingly popular, with sales growing by 24 per cent last year – the highest since records began in 1998. Adult fiction also enjoyed a five per cent increase in spending. However, non-fiction sales fell to their lowest levels since 2014, to 59 million books last year.
Philip Stone, head of publisher account management at NeilsenIQ BookData, said that fiction “remained the standout performer, fuelled by strong growth in sci‑fi and fantasy, horror and graphic novels, while children’s and young adult books also saw encouraging gains in key areas”.
“Non‑fiction faced greater pressure, though the popularity of trivia, quiz books and religious titles highlights sustained demand for escapism and insight,” she told the Guardian.
The findings coincide with the National Year of Reading, a UK-wide campaign taking place throughout 2026 to inspire more people to make reading a regular part of their lives. The campaign takes place at a time of concern about the demise of reading as scrolling takes over daily life, with a YouGov survey in 2025 finding that 40 per cent of British people had not read a single book in the previous 12 months.
There has been much discussion about whether more people are turning to the Bible and Christianity since the publication of Bible Society’s Quiet Revival report nearly a year ago.
That report found that 12% of adults attended church at least once a month, up from just 8% in 2018. Among men aged 18-24, this rose to over a fifth.
These figures were surpassed in another recent study by A Passion for Life and Whitestone in which 15% of adults said they attend church at least once a month, either in person or online, and nearly a third (30%) of young men aged 18 to 24.
Some churches and church leaders have described seeing more people come to services and events.
The Church of England said it had seen a surge in interest in the run-up to Christmas, following on from a strong turnout at Easter.
A further poll by Savanta, conducted on behalf of Tearfund, found that 45 per cent of adults in Britain were planning on attending a church event or service last Christmas, up from 40 per cent the previous year.
Alpha founder, Nicky Gumbel, recently weighed in, saying that “something is happening” after an unexpected number of people turned up for services at Holy Trinity Brompton. Incidentally, Alpha last year revealed that it had seen its most successful year globally in 2024, with two million people taking part in the course worldwide – more than in any previous year.
The team behind TryPraying, a prayer booklet aimed at non-Christians, recently said that orders for both its adult and teenage versions doubled last year.
Yet, the picture is mixed, with another recent survey finding that young people struggle with aspects of the Bible and the Christian faith, with Jesus apparently being an example of “mansplaining”.
Church of England attendance, despite successive years of growth, remains below pre-pandemic levels, and churches continue to close.
Some researchers and statisticians have also poured cold water on claims of a ‘Quiet Revival’, most notably Pew Research, but Bible Society – and YouGov, which carried out polling on its behalf – has continued to stand by the findings. YouGov recently said the study would be repeated later this year.
