BookTok drives English bookstore boom in the Netherlands

More and more English-language bookstores are popping up across the Netherlands, encouraged by the growing popularity of books on social media. 

English books increasingly popular thanks to BookTok

The past four years have seen at least 10 new English-language bookstores open in the Netherlands, including in Utrecht, Tilburg and Amersfoort, reports NOS. Not only are there more English bookstores, but existing Dutch bookstores are also increasing their range of English-language books.

Why the sudden interest in English books? Social media of course - at least partly. BookTok, the section of TikTok dedicated to bookish content, has become increasingly popular in recent years. This has encouraged more people to seek out the books they see online, and English books are the most commonly spoken about.

Another possible reason for the popularity of English books is that many find reading is most enjoyable in the original language. "Young people in particular think that. In the Netherlands, they also have a fairly high level of English, so they can read it as well," Professor of English Literature at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, Diederik Oostdijk, told NOS. 

The big screen also plays a role, as many books are being made into movies and even TV series. "Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings; those kinds of series originate from books. People prefer to read them in English, as that comes closest to the original," said Sanne Muijser, director of the Royal Association of Booksellers (KBb).

Bookstores offer atmosphere and community

While English books are booming, the opposite is true for Dutch books. However, book umbrella organisation CPNB chooses not to see this as a completely negative situation. "Young people are reading because of this," said spokesperson Job Jan Altena. "And hopefully, they will be more likely to pick up Dutch-language books afterwards as well."

According to the 2025 book monitor by KVB Boekwerk, around one in five books sold in the Netherlands are in English. Despite the growth in digitisation, bookworms in the Netherlands still appear to prefer printed books over digital copies, making up around 86 percent of book sales, ABN AMRO reports.

However, even bookstores face competition from the internet, as online stores such as Amazon often offer books at a lower price than physical stores can compete with. This is why many bookstores in the Netherlands are also part café. "I really like that atmosphere myself. British bookstores often have that. Adding something like that really works for business too. I am already seeing the results," said the owner of Anna’s Bookcafé in Amersfoort. 

Some bookstores also offer other opportunities for connection. "We are also more of a community, especially for many internationals: we have countless book clubs, and games are played here. I think that is also the strength in these times: people are looking for peace and company. Especially offline," said one of the owners of Books & Beans in Tilburg.