For many, finding time or headspace to pick up a book can feel out of reach, but new ways to read are making it easier than ever to engage with stories.
Spotify has partnered with the National Year of Reading in the U.K.—an initiative from the Department for Education with the National Literacy Trust—to explore how giving people choice over formats can help fit more stories into their lives. With the U.K. and Ireland’s World Book Day coming up on March 5, our new research offers a timely snapshot of the rise of “multi-format readers,” listeners who switch between print/e-books and audiobooks. The two formats are increasingly seen as complementary, and more than a third of U.K. readers (34%) are more likely to consider listening to audiobooks as “real reading” than they were a year ago.
“In today’s busy world, our goal is to make it easier for people to not just start a book, but stick with it,” said Owen Smith, Global Head of Audiobooks at Spotify. “That’s where multi-format reading comes in. It allows us to enrich every moment, whether reading a physical book in the evening or listening to the audiobook on your commute. Every moment becomes an opportunity to connect with a great story.”
The multi-format reader: More books, more often
Over half of readers in the U.K. (51%) now switch between audio and print/e-book formats to meet their reading goals, while 83% of audiobook listeners say they get through books they wouldn’t otherwise have time for.
Stories are now enriching moments where physical books don’t fit, with listeners tuning in while winding down for bed (28%), commuting (21%), and doing household chores (20%).
“We’re excited by the way audiobooks are helping people find time for stories and making it easier to move between formats,” said David Hayman, Campaign Director for the National Year of Reading. “In this National Year of Reading, audio is a powerful route into books, helping more people fit stories into everyday life and supporting a stronger, more inclusive reading culture across the U.K.”
The modern bedtime story
Families are adapting the bedtime story for the digital age, using technology to preserve meaningful moments together. In the U.K., 68% of parents who listen to audiobooks use them to help maintain a strong reading culture at home. Bedtime remains a key moment, with 36% turning to audiobooks to help children relax or fall asleep.
Tackling big topics and big feelings
Audiobooks are also becoming a resource for “teachable moments.” Nearly three in four parents in the U.K. (73%) who use audiobooks say they’ve helped their child understand a complex topic or navigate a personal event. They also make stories more accessible for kids who face a “lack of time to sit down and read” (20%) or “difficulty concentrating on text” (14%), and can even lead children to physical books. Nearly a quarter of these parents (23%) say an audiobook has prompted their child to want the print version.
Supporting healthy reading habits in a modern world
At Spotify, we’re dedicated to giving book lovers more flexible ways to enjoy stories. Through our partnership with Bookshop.org, listeners can now purchase physical books via the Spotify app, while Page Match lets you sync your place between a print or e‑book and the audiobook version. And for those who need a quick refresher before jumping back into a story, audiobook Recaps offer short audio summaries designed to catch you up on the portion of the book you’ve already heard.
These updates reflect our commitment to helping more stories find their audiences, with audiobook listening hours available to eligible Premium subscribers and Audiobooks+ plan members in 22 markets worldwide. Our goal is simple: make books easier to discover, explore, and enjoy.
Research conducted by Censuswide between February 6–11, 2026, among 3,000 nationally representative U.K. adults (18+).
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