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February 11, 2016updated 25 May 2016 3:33pm

Mag ABCs: Price-cut and give-away copies help Cosmopolitan lead growth in women’s fashion and lifestyle titles

By Dominic Ponsford

A price-cut and increased free distribution helped Cosmopolitan grow its monthly circulation by 57 per cent year on year in the second half of last year.

It was one of the few titles in the women’s interest, fashion/lifestyle, to grow its sale year on year.

But Jamie Jouning, publishing director of Glamour, was keen to point out that it still out-sells Cosmopolitan.

He said:  “Glamour is pleased to retain its position as the best-selling title in the market by 8%, despite being twice the price.  We notice that Cosmopolitan has more than tripled their supply of bulks to almost 100,000.”

Cosmopolitan has cut its price from £3.80 to £1 and has invested heavily in marketing with more ‘pop-up’ distribution points.

Look was the biggest faller, dropping 26 per cent year on year.

Women's interest (fashion/lifestyle) sales for 2015

Total circulaton is combined digital edition/print figure. Figures are mainly for the last six months of 2015, though some are for the full year.

Product Total Digital edition YoY% UK ROI AP%
John Lewis Edition 572,380   14.1 FREE
ASOS.com 454,797   -6.5 FREE
Good Housekeeping 409,696 3,276 -2.4 98.6
Cosmopolitan 405,308 4,218 57.3 75.3
Stylist 404,014   0.9 FREE
Glamour 350,031 3,310 -13.6 95.7
Woman & Home 336,192 2,953 -4.4 98.1
HELLO! 267,299 5,017 -2.2 94
Yours 260,003   -3.7 92.1
Prima 253,441 790 -5.4 99.9
Vogue 195,010 9,616 -2.6 86.2
Red 186,495 3,450 -3.1 90.3
Marie Claire 177,117 1,815 -10.7 84.4
Elle (U.K.) 164,727 3,167 0.8 82.2
Instyle UK 149,407 1,307 -1.4 71.3
Grazia 138,992 4,556 -9.8 94.4
Women's Health 125,549 4,598 6.3 93.2
Harrods Magazine 124,218   -1.3 FREE
Look 116,024 1,883 -25.5 91.2
Candis 112,392   -16 99.4
Harper's Bazaar 110,294 2,491 -1.3 57.5
HELLO! Fashion Monthly 92,453 180   99.8
Essentials 89,068 628 -17.8 99.9
Tatler 84,412 2,175 0.2 58.1
Vanity Fair 80,008 6,236 -11.1 70.8
Psychologies Magazine 69,408 3,528 4.8 93.1
Spirit & Destiny 36,279   -8.6 99.9
WM The Womans Magazine 19,998   -0.5 FREE
No1 Magazine 14,919   3 99.9

 

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