Youth Spending on Books through the

In the first six months of the "eBook" initiative, 18-year-old Ukrainians have spent over 91 million UAH on book purchases.

This was reported by the Ukrainian Book Institute (UBI).

In total, 91,533,898.18 UAH has been spent. Most young people preferred online bookstores, leading to expenditures of 56,912,213.33 UAH (62.18%). Meanwhile, 277 brick-and-mortar bookstores across Ukraine received 34,613,193.85 UAH (37.82% of total spending).

According to UBI, about 3,000 applications are submitted weekly since March 2025. Women primarily utilize the financial assistance for books.

"Approximately 20.12% of program participants received funds on their cards but did not spend them on books. Various reasons could explain this, including a lack of awareness regarding time limits (the funds must be spent within three months of allocation). Unused funds are redirected to the program and passed on to the next 18-year-old recipients who register," UBI noted.

About the "eBook" Program.

The "eBook" initiative is a state support program that allows Ukrainians who have turned 18 to receive 908.4 UAH to buy books over the course of a year. It launched in mid-December 2024, with payments starting on January 3, 2025.

Funds can only be spent on physical, electronic, and audiobooks in Ukrainian from participating bookstores and publishers within a three-month period.

Currently, books can be purchased through over 200 physical bookstores and 34 online shops. A complete list of bookstores is available via the link.