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NZ ANZSIC G4244NZ | Industry Report

Newspaper and Book Retailing in New Zealand Industry Data and Analysis

CB
Claudia Burgio-Ficca
Analyst Melbourne, Australia January 2026

The newspaper and book retailing industry has been navigating a turbulent environment over recent years, with both external and internal challenges shaping its trajectory. The COVID-19 pandemic delivered a heavy blow early on, which severely curtailed in-store sales due to lockdown restrictions and changed the way consumers access news and literature. Retailers quickly pivoted to online trading, seeing mixed results as ebooks and digital media platforms surged in popularity, often outpacing demand for print. Following this crisis, inflation and high interest rates further squeezed household budgets, diminishing discretionary spending and eroding consumer confidence. Still, resilient consumer habits provided some cushion, as people continued to seek small indulgences, like books, even during economic uncertainty. Overall, industry revenue slumped at an annualised 1.9% over the past five years to reach $386.3 million. This includes a dip of 0.5% in the current years.

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What's included in this industry analysis

IBISWorld's research coverage on the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2016-2031. The most recent publication was released January 2026.

About this industry

What's this industry report about?

The Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand operates under the ANZSIC industry code G4244NZ. Industry operators primarily retail newspapers, books and magazines. Industry players may operate as independent businesses, part of a retail chain or under a franchised model. Industry firms operate through bricks-and-mortar stores and may also make sales online. However, online-only businesses are excluded from the industry. Related terms covered in the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand include circulation, online-only retailers and readership.

What's included in this industry?

Products and services covered in Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand include Books, Magazines and Newspapers.

What companies are included in this industry?

Companies covered in the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand include Paper Plus and James Pascoe.

Performance

What's included in the Performance chapter?

The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand.

Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.

Products & Markets

What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?

The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed products and service segmentation and analysis of major markets for the for the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand.

Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.

Geographic Breakdown

What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?

The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand.

Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.

Competitive Forces

What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?

The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.

Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.

Companies

What's included in the Companies chapter?

The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.

Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.

External Environment

What's included in the External Environment chapter?

The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.

Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.

Financial Benchmarks

What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?

The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.

Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.

Industry Data

What's included in the Industry Data chapter?

The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the market size of the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand in 2026?

The market size of the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand is $386.3m in 2026.

How many businesses are there in the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand in 2026?

There are 270 businesses in the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand, which has declined at a CAGR of 3.0 % between 2021 and 2026.

How may import tariffs affect the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand?

The Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

How may export tariffs affect the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand?

The Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

Has the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand has been declining at a CAGR of 1.9 % between 2021 and 2026.

What is the forecast growth of the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand?

The biggest companies operating in the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand are Paper Plus and James Pascoe

What does the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand include?

Books and Ebooks are part of the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand?

The company holding the most market share in the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand is Paper Plus.

How competitive is the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand?

The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Newspaper and Book Retailing industry in New Zealand.

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