Two pioneers on the Swedish book market join forces and start a new chapter for the online bookstore and the physical bookstore with Adlibris’ acquisition of Pocket Shop from Bonnier Books.

Adlibris turns 25 this year and is today the Nordic region’s largest online bookstore with a presence in Sweden, Finland, and Norway. The Adlibris group had a total turnover of just under SEK 2.8 billion in 2021. Adlibris also operates two physical stores in Stockholm and Gothenburg.

Pocket Shop was founded in 1989 based on the idea of creating a new kind of bookstore. Bonnier Books has owned it since 2012. By the end of the year, Pocket Shop will have 11 stores in Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö. Pocket Shop had a turnover of around SEK 50 million in 2021, a year which was heavily affected by the effects on travel caused by the pandemic. The details of how the two brands will work together are not yet determined.

– We look forward to continuing to strengthen both the digital and physical buying experience of books and take it to the next level. Pocket Shop is a well-run company with an extraordinary in-store service and experience. There are many exciting possibilities around how we take advantage of each other’s strengths moving forward. We see great value in Pocket Shop’s expertise in physical store operations that we now have access to, says Jonas Karlén, CEO of Adlibris.

– When Adlibris now announces a strategy to further increase the number of physical stores, Pocket Shop gets a very dedicated owner, and Adlibris gets access to fantastic store locations. There really is a lot of potential in this acquisition, and it feels good to pass the ownership on to a strong player who will benefit from the fine competence and abilities that exist in the business. For Bonnier Books, the acquisition is a confirmation of its strategy to focus on publishing and publishing operations, says Magnus Brundin, Chairman of the Board of Pocket Shop.

Adlibris is expected to complete the acquisition in the first two weeks of January 2023.

For additional information, please contact
Karin Lindebo, Adlibris
karin.lindebo@adlibris.com
+46 (0) 73 613 83 38