New research claims 40% of magazine buyers prefer print to digital
A new report claims that 40 % of UK magazine buyers prefer to read print editions over digital.
Media website, Press Gazette, reports that the YouGov SixthSense research questioned participants on several aspects of their magazine consumption habits.
And it found that women in particular have a “strong affinity for print”, with 45% plumping for the physical format over digital; 41% said they liked the look and feel of printed magazines; and 36% said they liked the "convenience" of print magazines.
Nevertheless around half of all those surveyed said they were buying magazines less frequently – 27 % of men and 34% of women attributed this to expense.
Hectic lifestyles also came into play, with 18% of those who buy magazines claiming to have less time to read them, 11% said they read content both online and in print, and just 9% said they were reading more online.
According to Press Gazette, the research found that “men have taken to digital options with significantly greater enthusiasm”: 14% read both online and in print compared with 9% of women, and men were three times as likely to read more online compared with women -15% versus 5%.
YouGov SixthSense research director James McCoy is quoted as saying: “Preference on this scale suggests that magazines still have a healthy future in print, although prospects vary by sector according to the attitudes of different reader groups, and this will inevitably change over time.
“It is possible that digital formats have made some inroads on physical print sales but these findings point the finger at cost and shortage of time as being far more influential factors.”
The report surveyed 2,102 UK adults aged 16 and over.