The price on container shipments from China has gone through the roof with an increment of about 850 precent in the recent year, according to SVT.
Notably this has taken a toll on Children’s book publishers. One of these are the Swedish publisher Tukan who has a lot of its production in China. As the Administrative Director, Christian Bang Melchior, explains some children books are very advanced with sound modules, doors and textiles. These books require manual assemblances which is done in China where the components for them are also produced.
The high demand for container space, delays in shipment and shortage in paper are leading to the price increments on the books.
The problems with delays and higher costs have also been an issue at other children’s book publishers.
“Everything transported at seas are dealing with delivery problems. In the beginning of the pandemic an imbalance in logistics occurred when the big harbors where closed due to Covid. Queues started forming at the transporting companies and books who was due be published in August have still not arrived,” The children’s book Chief of Lind & Co, Elin Lundh, says
Some of these publishers are now looking into printing more books in Europe.
“We probably have to raise the price on the children’s books and press certain titles in Europe, if we don’t see and end to these problems soon,” Elin Lundh explains.
