ABC Analysis – Scotland : May 2012
Overview by Fiona Booth – Research Manager
Daily and Sunday newspaper sales in Scotland fell by 0.76% in May compared to April, according to the latest ABC release, with the Scottish Sun maintaining its hold on the top spot north of the border as Scotland’s highest circulating newspaper with an average net circulation of 311,144. The Sunday Mail follows with a circulation figure of 290,546, keeping it in second place, but with both titles’ down circa 1% on last month the gap between them stays pretty much as it was.
Rounding out the top three selling newspapers in Scotland for May is the Daily Record at 255,790. The Sun (Sunday) is the only other newspaper to sell over 200k copies a month in Scotland (224,861), but given its circulation declines month on month since its launch have been steeper than the top three titles’, it is unlikely to be stepping on to the winner’s podium anytime soon.
Another month another round of falling circulations for all the homegrown and tartan-topped titles bar Scotland on Sunday, who claimed the biggest percentage increase in sales in Scotland compared to April at 5.58%. The Scottish qualities, in general, fared best with the other three titles in this sector seeing nominal monthly declines, but they are also the lowest circulating homegrown newspapers. Longer term, however, the Scottish qualities are seeing double digit declines comparing this May to last. The Sunday Herald, in particular, has the double downer of being the lowest circulating homegrown title at 27,783 as well as falling the furthest in the space of a year, down 13.69% on last May.
The Nationals’ Scottish performance this month was a bit of a mixed bag. The Daily Express and Daily Mail mirrored their national performance, with the Express up 2.93% on last month while rival Mail fell 4.49%. On the whole, however, the Nationals were down in Scotland by a fairly liveable with 0.58% on last month versus the homegrown/tartan-topped which were down a slightly steeper 0.84%. Compared to last May, the declines are 6.08% and 9.41% respectively.
Also mirroring its national performance is the Daily Star (Sunday), claiming the greatest year on year growth both in percentage terms (up 66.89%) and by physical sales (plus 41,146) as it outperforms its rivals to keep a hold on those News of the World gains it made last year.
All figures sourced from ABC