An investigation into possible price-fixing of ebooks has commenced following revelations that some cost double the price of the paperback versions. One company being investigated by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is Penguin, in which dictator Col Gaddafi has a substantial stake. Another is Harper Collins, owned by News Corporation, publishers of the top investigative newspaper the News of the World.

Investigations are also going on across Europe, and in the USA.

Recent research by publisher Routledge indicates that two thirds of adults read around 2000 words of a book at bedtime.