Gibert seeks judicial restructuring as it pivots toward used books
Gibert seeks restructuring protection and pivots to used books amid margin pressure.
Event / Economy
Gibert Bookstore Restructuring
France's leading independent bookstore chain Gibert, operating 16 stores across 12 cities with 500 employees, announced judicial restructuring protection due to declining new book sales and rising operational costs. The company plans a strategic pivot toward the growing used book market, targeting to double used book sales by 2029.
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2026-08-18 to 2026-11-15 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 27 Apr, 11:08 UTC
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What happened
Gibert reported 86 million euros revenue in 2025
Gibert reported a revenue of 86 million euros for 2025. The bookstore chain operates as France's leading independent bookstore and record store, offering over 500,000 new and used references across books, videos, and stationery products.
French bookstore chain Gibert seeks judicial restructuring protection
Gibert, France's leading independent bookstore chain, announced it will request placement under judicial restructuring (redressement judiciaire) from the Paris commercial court. The chain operates 16 stores across 12 cities and employs 500 staff members. The request will be examined by the court on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The restructuring procedure aims to allow the company to adapt and transform its business model while protecting the company from debt and guaranteeing employee salaries.
Gibert plans strategic pivot toward used book market
Gibert intends to shift its business strategy toward the used book market, which is experiencing 10% annual growth and offers better margin control. The company aims to double the share of used book sales by 2029. Currently, used books represent 35% of Gibert's revenue, with the goal of increasing this proportion significantly.
Gibert bookstore chain faces margin compression in new book market
Gibert's current business model is caught between rising fixed costs (rent and energy) and declining sales margins in the new book market. The chain attributes its financial difficulties to the contraction of the new book market combined with increased operating expenses, creating a scissor effect that undermines profitability.
Gibert closed four Saint-Michel location stores in 2021
In 2021, Gibert closed four bookstores located on Place Saint-Michel in central Paris, where it had been established for 135 years. The company retained its main bookstore near the Sorbonne University.
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