Advances in technology could be eclipsing traditional reading methods after new research showed a quarter of Britons have not read a book in the past three years.

In a survey carried out by discount website www.MyVoucherCodes.co.uk, only 26 per cent of the 1,642 participants had read a book in the last three years, while 32 per cent of those surveyed owned an e-reader.

More than half (58 per cent) of respondents, who were all over 18, said that they preferred their e-reader to a traditional book with two-thirds (67 per cent) saying it was “easier to read” and 11 per cent saying it was “more convenient”.

Amazon said it sold more books for the Kindle than paperbacks during the last three months of 2010.

The beginning of 2011 saw the trend continue with 115 e-books sold for every 100 paperbacks on the website.

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