The NFRN says: This means that instead of receiving 11.9 pence for each copy sold, retailers will now earn 11.6 pence.
To make matters worse, this is the second time in two years that the newspaper publisher has used the festive period to try to sneak through a price rise, while cutting the margin that retailers receive. Last year a cover price rise on the Saturday Mirror was accompanied with a margin reduction down to 22 per cent.
National President Alan Smith (pictured) said: “Such penny pinching by the Mirror at a time usually associated with giving is despicable. Where is the Christmas and New Year cheer? While newspaper groups like the Express and Archant, have seen fit to give retailers a festive cash injection, and more recently the Guardian has announced that it will maintain terms when increasing its prices of its daily and Saturday edition, Trinity Mirror, who was once the newsagent’s friend, has shown its true miserly colours, taking money from the Tiny Tims of the industry who need pro rata terms just to stand still.”
Mr Smith continued: “If this action was not enough, and to show its true contempt for newsagents, the Daily Mirror is the worst offender for delivering late into wholesale. In the past week alone it has missed 20 cut offs, three of which were more than one hour- and caused three reruns, seriously damaging HND and sales in outlets which enjoy a strong early morning trade.
“Given such appalling treatment, the NFRN has no option but to leave no stone unturned as we campaign to get the margin restored. We will be writing to all Daily Mirror advertisers making them aware of how the newspaper treats the people who play such a key role in getting their advertisements out to the readers and how truly damaging it will be by alienating retailers in this way.
Already there are rumours of a day of action against the publisher and I know that many newsagents will move support away from this title to ones who support them better.”
Chief executive Paul Baxter added: “With sales down 5.3 per cent year on year, the Mirror needs all the support it can get. We are demanding an urgent meeting with senior officials and will be doing everything that we can to get the rightful margins restored.”
