Express owner pledges to preserve newsagents’ profit margins after increasing cover price

By Éilis Cronin in Industry News 25th August 2021

Price increases to Express news titles will include a corresponding increase for newsagents to avoid hitting their profits, says the publisher.

From next Monday (30 August) publisher Reach PLC has announced that the price of the price of weekday editions of The Express will increase from 75p to 80p.

The Saturday edition will go up from £1.20 to £1.30, while the price of the Sunday Express will also increase by 10p, from £1.80 to £1.90.

Retail margins will also remain at 20% of the new prices, as follows: Monday to Friday Express 16p; Saturday Express 26p and Sunday Express 38p.

NFRN national president Stuart Reddish said: “This is great news. When publishers put the prices of their titles up, there is always a danger that retailers will suffer because of reduced profits.

“But it is pleasing to see that Reach recognises the efforts of independent retailers to keep the news trade going during what has been an unprecedented and extremely difficult time for our industry.”

John Howard, circulation director for Reach, said: “In the last 16 months, the support that our business has received from the news trade, and the NFRN in particular, has been magnificent.

“As we hopefully return to normal trading, all elements of the newspaper supply chain will benefit.”