Reach maintains retail terms with Express price rise

Publisher Reach has maintained pro rata terms for newsagents as part of new price increases for its Express news titles.

From Monday, August 30, 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 remain at 20 per cent of the new prices, with retailers set to receive 16p for Monday to Friday Express; 26p for Saturday Express and 38p for Sunday Express. The publisher has twice cut the retail margin on the title last year, in January and December.

The Federation of Independent Retailers (NFRN) has welcomed the decision to include pro rata terms for retailers.

“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,” Stuart Reddish, NFRN national president, said.

John Howard, circulation director for Reach, commented: “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.”