Amazon withdraws its sponsorship of the Paris Book Festival after a boycott by the Booksellers Association books

Amazon has withdrawn from the Paris Book Festival after a boycott by the French Booksellers Association sparked a dispute over the company’s sponsorship of the event.

The festival, scheduled to be held from April 17 to 19, will continue without support from the US retailer, after a mutual decision between the organizers and Amazon to end their partnership.

The dispute began after French booksellers’ association Syndicat de la Librairie Française (SLF) announced it would boycott the festival in protest over Amazon’s participation.

The SLF has strongly criticized Amazon, arguing that it destabilizes the book trade. In a statement, Bookseller accused the company of seeking to “flood the market with fake books produced by artificial intelligence.” [which are] It is promoted through fake reviews, written by fake readers [and rise] To the top of the fictitious rankings.” The Association of Publishers and festival organizers also criticized what it described as the “irresponsible” decision to cooperate with Amazon, which was taken in the name of short-term financial interests.

“We are extremely disappointed by this partisan maneuver by the SLF,” an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement. “Based on baseless and misleading allegations, [it] He hijacks the event for his own benefit and diverts it from its legitimate ambition, which is to celebrate reading, readers, and authors. Amazon said it decided to withdraw “to avoid contributing to this ridiculous controversy.”

The event’s organizers, Paris Livres Événements, a subsidiary of the French Publishers Association, said the collaboration had ended due to “hostility to having Amazon as a sponsor.” They explained that this move aims to avoid “serious disruption” and protect the interests of the 450 exhibitors and an estimated 120,000 visitors.

They added that their goal was to “reduce tensions” and allow the festival to be held in a “peaceful atmosphere.” “No one will benefit from putting it at risk,” the organizers said.

The festival is expected to go ahead as planned in April without the retailer in attendance.