Denmark to abolish VAT on books in effort to get more people reading

[cbabe]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/20/denmark-to-abolish-vat-on-books-in-effort-to-get-more-people-reading

Denmark to abolish VAT on books in effort to get more people reading

Culture minister says government will propose ending the 25% rate, the highest in the world, in its budget bill

Miranda Bryant Nordic correspondent
Wed 20 Aug 2025 10.50 EDT

Denmark is to stop charging VAT on books in an attempt to get more people reading.

At 25%, the country’s tax rate on books is the highest in the world, a policy the government believes is contributing to a growing “reading crisis”.

The culture minister, Jakob Engel-Schmidt, announced on Wednesday that the government would propose in its budget bill that the tax on books be removed.
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[SWBTATTReg]

1. Seems like a disconnect here...they do have public libraries too there? Simply eliminating the tax isn't going to

increase readership, IMHO, it would take a little more, I would think.

[JI7]

2. I don't think it will increase reading much

I just don't think there are people who really want to read but don't becsuse buying a book is expensive.

I think this will mostly benefit those who already read and buy books.

Many books are available for free online. And the other poster mentioned libraries.

Maybe someone might be more likely to buy a certain book instead of getting it as t the library but again these are people who already read.