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February 15, 2019updated 20 Feb 2023 10:57am

Women’s mags ABCs: Now and Cosmopolitan see biggest circulation decline but Red and Bella post growth

By Charlotte Tobitt

Now and Cosmopolitan saw the biggest circulation declines among women’s magazines in the second half of 2018, while Red and Bella boasted the highest growth.

TI Media’s women’s weekly Now saw the biggest year-on-year circulation drop of 43 per cent to 44,709.

Scroll down for full women’s monthly AND weekly mag ABC figures

Mark Winterton, managing director for women’s weeklies and TV at TI Media, said: “We are starting to see the benefit of our bold decision to go against the grain and remove our women’s weeklies titles from bigger packs…

“While the overall ABC results reflect the initial impact of stripping out the bigger packs from our promotional activity, which inflates sales figures, these single copy sales are indicative of the rewards of doing so. Our investment in audience research and editorial redevelopment will continue across all titles in the portfolio.”

Cosmopolitan saw a circulation drop of almost one-third year-on-year to 240,351, attributed by owner Hearst UK to doubling the price to £2 last year.

But the publisher celebrated a 7 per cent year-on-year circulation growth at Red (to 177,122), marking the title’s 20th anniversary, saying it followed a strategic decision to realign the title under Hearst’s lifestyle group.

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Hearst UK chief executive James Wildman said: “These strong results, and the fact that several of our magazines are increasing their readership, highlight the extraordinary quality and continuing appeal of our print products.”

Weekly magazine Bella saw the second biggest circulation rise in the second half of 2018, growing 6 per cent year-on-year to 173,017.

Rob Munro-Hall, group managing director at Bauer Magazine Media UK, said: “Our focus on curating the highest quality content continues to drive engagement on all platforms – with print remaining proudly at the heart of what we do.”

Women’s lifestyle and fashion magazine ABCs for the six-month period to the end of December 2018 (or full year 2018 where shown):

Publication Circulation total (average per issue) Year-on-year % change Free copies Months in audit period
Good Housekeeping 451,716 -1% 74,366 6
John Lewis Edition 445,292 0% 445,292 6
Stylist 403,544 1% 403,544 6
Woman & Home 281,193 -3% 6,000 6
Yours 242,516 -1% 24,150 6
Cosmopolitan 240,351 -32% 50,298 6
HELLO! 237,736 1% 6
Prima 227,014 -5% 20,089 6
Vogue 192,152 1% 8,417 6
Red 177,122 7% 32,615 6
Elle (U.K.) 162,243 -4% 16,586 6
Women’s Health 133,463 1% 37,899 6
Harrods Magazine 120,211 -6% 120,211 12
Marie Claire 120,133 -24% 41,764 6
Harper’s Bazaar 116,339 1% 53,320 6
Grazia 102,585 0% 18,419 6
HELLO! Fashion Monthly 83,772 4% 6
Candis 81,486 -11% 267 6
Tatler 79,029 1% 23,044 6
Vanity Fair 70,080 -3% 10,900 6
Psychologies Magazine 58,182 -3% 121 12
No.1 Magazine 15,169 0% 984 12

Women’s weekly magazine ABCs for the six-month period to the end of December 2018 (or full year 2018 where shown):

Publication Circulation total (average per issue) Year-on-year % change Free copies Months in audit period
Take a Break 463,495 -7% 6
Woman’s Weekly 236,429 -7% 6
Chat 203,358 -9% 6
That’s Life 190,553 -6% 6
Closer 178,806 -6% 3,288 6
Bella 173,017 6% 6
The People’s Friend 169,357 -6% 70 6
New! 166,300 -3% 6
OK! Magazine 149,142 -10% 6
Woman 133,103 -20% 6
Woman’s Own 124,187 -19% 6
Heat 123,948 3% 7,391 6
Best 113,429 -11% 6
Real People 111,872 -8% 6
Pick Me Up 101,179 -16% 6
My Weekly 90,048 -7% 3,100 6
Love It! 87,238 3% 6
Now 44,709 -43% 6
Simply You 35,574 6
The Lady 23,254 -7% 2,999 12

 

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