Denmark to Scrap 25% Book Tax to Fight Growing ‘Reading Crisis’

Denmark is moving to eliminate its 25-percent sales tax on books, the highest in Europe, in an effort to address a growing reading crisis. The government hopes that removing the tax will encourage more citizens to buy books and engage with reading. Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt announced that the budget bill will propose this measure, which is estimated to cost the state 330 million kroner ($51 million) annually. The move comes after alarming education reports showed declining literacy among Danish youth and increased concern from the publishing industry.

A Response to Declining Literacy

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) recently released an education report that raised alarm in Denmark. It found that 24 percent of Danish 15-year-olds cannot understand a simple text, a rise of four percentage points over the past decade. Experts warn that if this trend continues, the country could face long-term educational and economic challenges. Engel-Schmidt stressed that “we need to do all we can to fix this reading crisis that has unfortunately spread in recent years.”

Publishing Industry Advocates Tax Cut

Denmark’s publishing industry has long campaigned for a reduction in the book sales tax. In May, it published a report urging the government to ensure that all Danes, including children and adults, have access to physical books. The industry argued that high taxes discourage purchases and limit public access to books, exacerbating the literacy crisis and eliminating the tax aligns with efforts to make reading more affordable and widespread across the country.

International Comparisons

Denmark’s 25-percent sales tax on books is the highest in Europe, unlike countries such as the UK, where books are tax-free. This steep tax has made reading more expensive and harder to access, particularly for students and low-income families. By cutting the tax, Denmark hopes to make books more affordable and encourage everyone to pick up reading more often.

Broader Cultural Implications

Experts say that giving people easier access to books has big benefits for society and culture and reading helps improve knowledge, critical thinking, and participation in the community. By cutting the sales tax, Denmark isn’t just tackling low literacy—it’s also helping people grow intellectually and culturally.

Fighting the Reading Crisis

Denmark’s choice to get rid of the book sales tax is a smart move to fight the reading crisis as well as making books cheaper could help more people read, improve literacy, and create a love for reading among both kids and adults all over the country.