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ABCs: The Sun remains biggest circulating newspaper but sale down 25,000 month on month

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By Carat on Media..., Media

July 15, 2013 | 3 min read

Overview by Fiona Booth – Research Manager

Total sales of national newspapers in June fell 0.4% on May according to latest circulation figures released by ABC. Longer term, the market is down almost 10% on the same time last year.

The Sun continues to be the biggest circulating national newspaper in the UK with an average net circulation in June of 2,243,903, however, it also had the distinction of shedding the most actual sales month on month, down over 25k copies. Sister title The Sun (Sunday) claimed the second highest circulation at 1,875,220. The Daily Mail took third place, nipping at The Sun (Sunday)’s heels with an average net circulation in June of 1,806,569 thanks to adding the most physical copies at over 19k sales compared to last month.

The Independent and sister title Independent on Sunday languish at the bottom of the sales league, selling an average 73,060 and 111,986 copies respectively in June.

Overall, the Daily market held up better than the Sunday. Both markets were down on last month and last year but the Dailies fell less sharply, down 0.2% and 8.6% respectively. The Sundays were fell 0.5% on May and 11.2 on last June, effectively down almost 1.7 million sales on last year.

All sectors were down as well this month on last, with the Populars technically flat month on month whilst the Quality and Mid Market sectors both down 0.7% on May. Longer term the Populars saw the steepest year on year drop, down 11.6% on the same time last year, whilst the Mids were down 9.4% and the Qualities down ‘only’ 6.5%.

The Observer took the biggest proportional hit month on month, down 4.6% on last month, but it was the Mail on Sunday, in contrast to its sister title, who lost the most physical sales on May, down over 42k.

The i continues to claim biggest sales gains over the longer term, seeing the greatest actual (over 30k) and proportional sales (11.2%) compared to last June, and was the only title in the National market to see any yearly growth. The biggest losses year on year come from the Populars, with The Sun shedding the most physical copies (almost 340k) and the Daily Star Sunday down 29%.

All figures sourced from ABC

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