UK bookseller row over DH price

by · July 17, 2007

Bloomsbury has cancelled a 500,000-copy order to UK supermarket Asda (owned by US giant Wal-Mart) because, according to Asda, the store criticised the book's £17.99 price. Asda's spokesman said, “It just seems funny that after we expose the potty Potter price hike, Bloomsbury are trying everything they can to stop kids getting hold of Harry Potter at a price they can afford.”

Bloomsbury cited “invoicing issues” as the reason for the cancellation, but added: “Asda have had a problem with our pricing of Harry Potter for a while now, and they sent out a very aggressive press release saying that we were ripping off children.

“We think at 608 pages, £17.99 is extremely good value.”

UPDATE: Asda has now resolved the issue by paying what was due, the BBC reports.