2025 reading trends: eternal life, AI, and weight loss drugs dominate the covers.

Readly’s 2025 Report Reveals Key Trends in Digital Magazine Reading

Readly, the digital magazine and newspaper app, has released its annual report on global and Swedish reading trends for 2025. The insights reveal a significant shift in how Swedes are consuming digital content, with a focus on lifestyle, health, and well-being.

Key Findings:

Swedes read 32 million digital issues on the platform, with one in twelve being an international title.
Daily newspapers maintain the highest readership, but lifestyle magazines are gaining popularity.
The average subscriber spends 9 hours per month reading content on the app.

Lifestyle and Well-being Dominate Reading Interests

The report highlights a strong interest in lifestyle magazines, which account for 27% of all reading on Readly. Recurring themes include longevity, quality of life, medical research, wellness trends, and healthy living, regardless of age. Readers are seeking inspiration for a fulfilling life, potentially aided by AI.

“Many lifestyle magazines this year have addressed how to live longer with a better quality of life, while new medical research, wellness trends, and an aging population drive a strong interest in health, diet, and an active everyday life regardless of age. It’s no longer about chasing youth, but about learning to optimize your well-being and find inspiration for a rich life. Perhaps even with the help of AI,” says Daniel Hamrin, Nordic Content Manager at Readly.

Escapism Through Puzzles

Amidst global uncertainties, readers, particularly those around 60 years old, are turning to crosswords and Sudoku for relaxation and distraction, spending an average of two hours per session.

Mobile Reading Habits: Royals and Consumer Advice

When reading on mobile devices, users gravitate towards celebrity gossip and consumer advice. Popular articles include stories about royal family drama and product reviews. Audio functionality is also popular, with celebrity and entertainment content being the most listened to.

Shifting Publication Days Influence Reading Times

A notable change from the previous year is the shift in peak reading time from Thursdays at 6:00 PM to Wednesdays at the same time. This change is attributed to publishers adjusting their publication days to coincide with the distribution of magazines to stores.

“The change has a clear background. Several publishers have switched to new publication days after the distribution of magazines to stores was concentrated to a single weekly occasion, on Wednesdays. This in turn has governed when the reading takes place,” says Daniel Hamrin.

Additional Insights:

10% of all issues read are foreign. The most popular was the March issue of the British technology and lifestyle magazine T3, which featured outdoor adventure equipment.
Recipes are the most popular content to bookmark and share, with Easter cakes and stews being particularly favored.
Top search terms include recreational vehicles, a Swedish influencer, a popular cartoon character, and a well-known men’s magazine.

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