Denmark is scrapping one of the world’s heaviest book taxes in an effort to get more people reading.
The government has announced it will abolish the 25% VAT on books—currently the highest in the world—after new figures revealed worrying literacy levels among young people. According to the OECD, one in four Danish 15-year-olds struggles to understand a simple text.
Culture Minister Jacob Engel-Schmidt says the change is about much more than cheaper books—it’s about protecting Denmark’s cultural future.
The move will cost the state around 330 million kroner (€44 million) each year, but the government sees it as a long-term investment in education and culture.
The decision also brings Denmark more in line with its Nordic neighbors, where books are far less heavily taxed: Finland charges 14%, Sweden just 6%, and in Norway, books are completely tax-free.
Experts say Denmark’s falling reading rates are linked to shorter attention spans and the distractions of digital life, particularly among teenagers. By cutting the price of books, officials hope to make reading more accessible and appealing—especially to the younger generation. Photo by MarkBuckawicki, Wikimedia commons.