Bible sales within the UK have risen sharply, increasing by 87 per cent from £2.69 million in 2019 to £5.02 million in 2024, in accordance with recent data from SPCK Group and Nielsen Book Data.
Publishers and researchers attribute this growth to Generation Z’s renewed interest in spirituality, marking a striking cultural shift.
While overall non-fiction book sales declined by 6% between 2023 and 2024, religious books have defied the trend. The broader category of “Bibles and liturgy” grew from £7 million in 2019 to £8.1 million in 2024, continuing a longer-term rise from £5 million in 2008. Spending on religious books as a complete reached £25.2 million last yr, reflecting a 3% year-on-year increase.
Surveys suggest that young individuals are driving this variation. A January poll found that 62% of 18 to 24 yr olds describe themselves as “very” or “fairly” spiritual, in comparison with just 35% of those over 65.
Additionally, only 13% of Generation Z discover as atheists – far lower than the 20% of millennials and 25% of Generation X who do.
Sam Richardson, Chief Executive of SPCK, believes these trends reflect a significant cultural shift.
“We are on the centre of a big cultural shift regarding matters of religion and religion,” he said. “Atheism, once considered by modern society to be the view of most rational adults, now not seems to hold the identical weight or appeal. Young people – Gen Z particularly – are statistically far less more likely to discover as atheists than their parents.”
Many imagine external aspects have contributed to this resurgence of religion. Richardson pointed to the Covid-19 pandemic and the growing mental health crisis as key influences, with many young people turning to spirituality for guidance and reassurance.
Mark Woods, of the Bible Society, highlighted the increased demand, noting that sales are being driven each by personal purchases and by churches and schools providing Bibles to young people.
“Either way, there is a very clear increase in demand,” he said. “This seems to arise from a perception that the Bible has something necessary to say to young people, and from a desire to make it accessible to them.”
One edition, the Good News Bible: The Youth Edition, has been particularly popular, with sales nearly doubling since 2021. Designed to appeal to younger readers, it includes explanatory notes, infographics, and space for private reflections.
The New International Version and Good News Bible now outsell the King James Bible, showing a preference for contemporary, accessible translations.
Despite Britain’s overall trend toward secularism, the surge in Bible sales suggests that faith stays a strong force, particularly among the many younger generation.
In a time of uncertainty, many young people seem increasingly drawn to reading Christian scripture, a practice once considered in decline.
