View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Data
  2. Audience Data
September 13, 2018

National newspaper ABCs: Free Evening Standard and Metro only UK papers to see circulation growth in August

By Charlotte Tobitt

The free Evening Standard and Metro newspapers were the only UK titles to see a growth in circulation in August, according to the latest ABC figures.

The Evening Standard, edited by former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, saw the biggest growth of 1 per cent year-on-year to a distribution of 858,557 last month.

Its free newspaper rival the Metro topped the circulation figures for the fourth consecutive month, growing slightly year-on-year with a distribution of 1,453,926 (up from 1,450,004 in August 2017).

Ted Young, editor of Metro said: “This is another huge achievement for Metro, consolidating its position as the biggest national newspaper in the country.

“Our product continues to engage young, professional commuters every weekday morning with the right content to satisfy their daily news appetite.”

The Sun remains the UK’s best-selling newspaper with a circulation of 1,447,959, despite a 7 per cent year-on-year drop.

The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph recorded the biggest year-on-year circulation drops, down 22 per cent and 17 per cent respectively, but this comes after the publisher’s decision in January to stop selling bulk copies.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

The Mail and Mirror titles also no longer feature bulks in their circulation figures.

UK national newspaper circulation figures for August (source: ABC):

Publication Total circulation August 2018 Year-on-year % change Bulks
Metro FREE 1,453,926 0
The Sun 1,447,959 -7 118,215
Daily Mail 1,270,418 -11
The Sun on Sunday 1,233,369 -8 118,217
The Mail on Sunday 1,065,958 -13
London Evening Standard FREE 858,557 1
The Sunday Times 722,197 -5 85,548
Daily Mirror 558,457 -11
Sunday Mirror 465,811 -13
The Times 427,668 -5 91,827
The Daily Telegraph 370,929 -22
Daily Star 361,202 -15
Daily Express 338,843 -10
Sunday Express 299,222 -10
The Sunday Telegraph 291,190 -17
i 244,060 -10 53,270
Daily Star – Sunday 222,944 -14
Sunday People 183,761 -14
Financial Times 175,441 -5 30,229
The Observer 165,840 -7
The Guardian 134,943 -8
Sunday Mail 131,416 -16
Daily Record 126,800 -13
Sunday Post 113,935 -15 538
City AM FREE 83,854 -7

UK news websites daily average unique browsers (source: ABC):

Website Daily Avg. Unique Browsers (August 2018) Year-on-year % change
MailOnline 11,701,163 -17
Reach digital (formerly Trinity Mirror) 8,998,926 -7
The Sun 4,916,114 -8
Metro 2,333,363 0

Topics in this article : , ,

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network