France evens up book-copy prices

According to a new French law set to take effect in 1982, book prices will become standardized through-out the country. Retailers will be allowed to price volumes for single-copy customers at no lower (or higher) than 5 percent off the publisher-set figure.

One discounter, FNAC--said to be the country's biggest bookseller--announced plans to continue discounting practices in a legal manner for its 350,000 affiliated members.

The company wants to form a book cooperative to which FNAC's book department can be transferred. Using this form of business venture, company officials said , would allow the new copperative to maintain book prices as required by law, but would still permit rebates to book-buying members, probably on an annual basis.