Today is ‘Super Thursday’, the biggest day in the publishing calendar but does anyone else know what it is? Retail Week takes a look at its significance.

Why are we talking about this now?

Today is ‘Super Thursday’ in the book world. Publishing houses have released 1,569 new books in the hope they will make it to the top of the Christmas best-seller list.

What is Super Thursday?

Super Thursday is the date when the UK’s publishing houses launch the bulk of their Christmas titles on a single day. It has become an unplanned annual phenomenon as publishers optimise what is the busiest time of the year for book sales in the festive season.  

The trend emerged in 2008 and since then publicity around the event has intensified as the mainstream media continues to cover it. However, consumer awareness of the occasion remains low and, until this year, retailers have not promoted the event significantly.

However, this year publishing houses have reduced the onus on Super Thursday with some titles released early on September 27 when 1,657 books were distributed.

What titles will be key this Christmas?

There are plenty of celebrity memoirs on offer, including those from Sir David Jason, Patsy Kensit, Jennifer Saunders, Sharon Osbourne and John Bishop. Sports books also make up a significant proportion of the top titles including works from Olympic champion Mo Farah, Andrew Strauss, Harry Redknapp and Ricky Hatton. And the much-hyped new Bridget Jones instalment, Mad About The Boy, is one of the key fiction releases.

For the last four years, Jamie Oliver has topped the Christmas best-sellers list, but after releasing his latest cookery book, Save With Jamie, in August, it could give another writer the chance to take festive glory.

What are retailers doing as part of Super Thursday?

Waterstones is holding in-store book signing events with authors including Farah, who today releases his autobiography today, and Jason.

Meanwhile, the grocers are also getting behind particular titles they think will be the most popular. Sainsbury’s is backing Saunders, Jason and Kensit, as well as Helen Fielding’s Mad About the Boy. And Waitrose will only be selling two of the hundreds of new books, including Fielding’s novel and Lorraine Pascale’s A Lighter Way To Bake. Tesco is also putting on extra displays to promote the new additions to its shelves.

WHSmith chief executive Steve Clarke said: “This year we have everyone from Mo Farah to Sharon Osbourne. We will be promoting them all. It’s too early to say which ones will become the Christmas best sellers, it depends who captures the public imagination – who would have thought that Pam Ayres would have become a best seller last year?”