Ipsos and Indigo explore the reading habits of Canadians aged 18-70 and finds that they are dedicated readers who incorporate books into their daily routines.

TORONTO, Nov. 1, 2019 /CNW/ - According to an Ipsos survey commissioned by Indigo Books & Music Inc. (TSX: IDG), the world's first cultural department store for booklovers and Canada's largest book retailer, Canadian adult readers report that they spend an average of six hours per week reading at least one book, with 34% reading two or more at a time. Canadian adults were asked about their reading habits and found that many are passionate readers, with physical books indicated as the most widely read material.

"From the joy of getting lost in a great book to exploring new ideas and fresh perspectives, the benefits of reading have never been clearer," said Rania Husseini, SVP of Print, Indigo. "We know how important it is to take time to unwind and unplug through reading. As a proudly Canadian company, we're thrilled that Canadian adults are spending a significant amount of time with a book in their hands in each week."

As much as Canadians are currently reading, over one-third (36%) of Canadians are also reporting that they are dedicated to reading even more in the upcoming year. When asked about the factors that would increase the number of hours spent reading, beyond having more time in their schedules, Canadians cited discovering a new series or author (58%) and visiting a bookstore or library (39%) as top reading motivators.

The research shows that browsing and picking up a book that "catches the eye" is the most prevalent source of Canadian readers' next book choice (54%), followed by recommendations from family and friends (38%). In fact, two thirds (66%) of Canadian readers are likely to make recommendations, and most are done face-to-face. Further, the more one reads, the more likely one is to recommend a book.

Those looking to read more should consider joining a book club, as readers who actively participate in book clubs spend an average of 9.1 hours per week reading versus non-participants (6.1 hours). When evaluating by genre, fiction readers spend more time reading than non-fiction readers, indicating 7.8 and 6.5 hours respectively. According to the survey, the average time spent reading is somewhat higher in Atlantic Canada, with half (51%) of adult book readers in the region reading 7 hours or more per week.

Adults are reported to read more books on their days off as well as on vacations and holidays, however they also incorporate reading into their daily routines. When asked about the time of day spent reading, Canadians read different mediums throughout the day; books are the most popular medium at bedtime with 75% of the interviewed readers associating books with bedtime or evening routine.

When looking at reading trends across the seasons, it appears that Canadians plan to welcome winter by curling up with a good book as 72% of Canadians are more likely to read during the colder months.

For expert book recommendations and to discover Indigo's list of the best books for this season, visit indigo.ca.

About the study: These are some of the findings of an Ipsos survey conducted between July 23-25, 2019 on behalf of Indigo. For this survey, a random sample of 630 Canadian adults aged 18-70 were interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics to ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the target population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. The precision of Ipsos online surveys is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the survey is accurate to within +/- 4.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had all Canadians 18-70 been surveyed. The credibility interval will be wider among subsets of the population. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error. Ipsos is an independent global market research and consulting firm.

About Indigo

Indigo Books & Music Inc. is a publicly traded Canadian company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (IDG). Indigo is the world's first Cultural Department Store – a physical and digital meeting place inspired by and filled with books, music, art, ideas, beautifully designed lifestyle products. Indigo believes in real books, in living life fully and generously, in being kind to each other and that stories – big and little – connect us.

SOURCE Indigo Books & Music Inc.