UK magazine circulation figures fell by an average of 6% year-on-year in 2020, according to the latest ABC figures.
Newsstand sales of many magazines were hit by the Covid-19 lockdowns closing non-essential retail and restricting travel, but subscriptions for some brands soared.
The 6% average decline was worked out using every magazine title whose latest circulation was published in ABC’s biannual report on Thursday.
For some titles it uses full-year figures while others are July to December only. The figures include digital editions where applicable and some include non-UK circulations where specified.
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[Read more about the news and current affairs magazine ABCs: The Week Junior thrives under lockdown]
Among the hardest-hit were ES Magazine, the Evening Standard’s free weekly lifestyle title which paused publication for six months and returned in September. It returned with a weekly distribution of under 200,000 compared to 357,606 in the second half of 2019.
Slimming World Magazine saw its circulation fall by 36% between July and December while Bauer’s Heat and Closer saw decline of 35% and 32% respectively. Bauer pointed to 40% year-on-year subscription growth at Closer and digital growth of 42%, adding that Heat had digital growth of 86%.
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[Read more about how women’s, men’s, tech and entertainment magazines fared in 2020]
Chris Duncan, Bauer Media UK’s chief executive of UK publishing, noted that these ABC results “cover a period of extraordinary disruption” for both readers and retailers.
Meanwhile in the second half of the year The Week Junior, published by Dennis, grew by 37% – potentially down to need for home schooling during lockdown.
The home and food genres performed well in general, with Garden Answers growing by 35%, BBC Gardeners’ World by 31%, Landscape by 28%, food magazine Olive by a quarter, and Garden News by 18%.
In current affairs, The Big Issue and The Spectator grew by 13% and 11% respectively – the former despite having to change business model when its vendors were stopped from selling it on the streets.
UK magazine circulation 2020: News & current affairs
| Publication | Publisher | UK and ROI total ABC total | Year-on-year % change | Free copies | Months in audit period |
| Private Eye | Pressdram Ltd | 224,937 | -1% | 6 | |
| The Economist | The Economist Newspaper Ltd | 126,535 | -20% | 6 | |
| The Week | Dennis Publishing Limited | 126,055 | -7% | 3,676 | 6 |
| The Week Junior | Dennis Publishing Limited | 94,687 | 37% | 6,814 | 6 |
| The Spectator | Spectator (1828) Ltd | 79,723 | 11% | 2,579 | 12 |
| New Scientist | New Scientist Limited | 51,559 | -21% | 246 | 12 |
| The Oldie | Oldie Publications Ltd | 44,208 | 0% | 1 | 6 |
| London Review of Books | LRB Limited | 41,873 | 11% | 4,154 | 12 |
| Time Magazine | Time Magazine UK Ltd | 31,934 | -40% | 6,367 | 12 |
| MoneyWeek | Dennis Publishing Limited | 31,573 | -11% | 1,401 | 6 |
| New Statesman | New Statesman Ltd | 30,333 | -7% | 5,055 | 12 |
| Prospect | Prospect Publishing Ltd | 27,375 | -30% | 1,556 | 12 |
| The Critic | Locomotive 6960 Ltd | 19,422 | 10,704 | 2 | |
| BBC Sky at Night | Immediate Media Company | 17,011 | 9% | 12 | |
| What Franchise | Aceville Publications Ltd | 13,346 | 6% | 13,307 | 12 |
* The Economist and The Week digital publications are counted separately: The Economist is 150,421 in the UK and The Week is 29,827.
[Read more: New Statesman celebrates 40-year paid-for sales record]
UK magazine circulation: Entertainment/tech/men’s lifestyle
| Publication | Publisher | UK and ROI total ABC total | Year-on-year % change | Free copies | Months in audit period |
| Time Out | Time Out Magazine Ltd | 310,736 | 1% | 310,254 | 6 |
| GQ | Conde Nast Publications Ltd | 89,189 | 0% | 30,821 | 12 |
| Men’s Health | Hearst UK | 88,023 | -20% | 6,573 | 12 |
| Empire | Bauer Media | 61,422 | -13% | 1,275 | 12 |
| The Big Issue | Big Issue Ltd | 47,973 | 13% | 12 | |
| Viz Comic | Dennis Publishing Limited | 40,244 | -5% | 18 | 12 |
| Wired | Conde Nast Publications Ltd | 37,191 | 2% | 11,920 | 12 |
| Mojo | Bauer Media | 32,224 | 3% | 927 | 12 |
| BBC Science Focus | Immediate Media Company | 30,430 | -16% | 12 | |
| Classic Rock | Future Publishing Ltd | 23,421 | -8% | 12 | |
| Total Film | Future Publishing Ltd | 20,148 | -21% | 12 | |
| What Hi-Fi Sound & Vision | Future Publishing Ltd | 19,033 | -6% | 1,127 | 12 |
| T3 | Future Publishing Ltd | 18,386 | -21% | 12 | |
| BBC Music Magazine | Immediate Media Company | 12,724 | -8% | 12 | |
| Doctor Who Magazine | Panini UK | 12,624 | -6% | 136 | 12 |
| Fortean Times | Dennis Publishing Limited | 11,158 | -1% | 47 | 12 |
| The Big Issue South West | The Big Issue South West Ltd | 9,970 | -15% | 12 | |
| Big Issue North | The Big Life Company Ltd | 9,770 | -11% | 12 | |
| Sight and Sound | British Film Institute | 9,542 | -7% | 630 | 12 |
| Gramophone | MA Music Leisure & Travel Ltd | 9,404 | -6% | 107 | 12 |
| The Big Issue in Scotland | The Big Issue in Scotland Ltd | 6,250 | -20% | 12 | |
| Big Issue Cymru | The Big Issue Cymru Ltd | 3,667 | -26% | 12 |
UK magazine circulation: TV listings
| Publication | Publisher | UK and ROI total ABC total | Year-on-year % change | Free copies | Months in audit period |
| TV Choice | Bauer Media | 1,041,826 | -5% | 6 | |
| What’s on TV | Future Publishing Ltd | 689,427 | -10% | 12 | |
| Radio Times | Immediate Media Company | 496,965 | -6% | 6 | |
| TV Times | Future Publishing Ltd | 126,437 | -10% | 12 | |
| Total TV Guide | Bauer Media | 84,019 | -5% | 6 | |
| TV & Satellite Week | Future Publishing Ltd | 77,545 | -9% | 12 | |
| Inside Soap | Hearst UK | 69,704 | -13% | 12 |
Women’s interest/lifestyle
| Publication | Publisher | UK and ROI total ABC total | Year-on-year % change | Free copies | Months in audit period |
| Tesco Magazine | Cedar Communications Limited | 1,913,746 | -1% | 1,913,746 | 6 |
| ASDA Magazine | Hearst UK | 1,825,000 | 2% | 1,825,000 | 12 |
| Waitrose & Partners Food | John Brown | 665,877 | -2% | 665,877 | 6 |
| Good Housekeeping | Hearst UK | 410,241 | -2% | 1,178 | 12 |
| Stylist | The Stylist Group Ltd | 404,614 | 0% | 401,569 | 6 |
| Take a Break | Bauer Media | 365,869 | -11% | 6 | |
| Slimming World Magazine | Miles-Bramwell Executive Services Ltd | 315,026 | -36% | 26,445 | 6 |
| Woman & Home | Future Publishing Ltd | 209,017 | -17% | 3,492 | 12 |
| Prima | Hearst UK | 207,766 | -3% | 12 | |
| WI life | Wi Enterprises Ltd | 200,430 | -4% | 12 | |
| Woman’s Weekly | Future Publishing Ltd | 189,263 | -9% | 12 | |
| BBC Good Food | Immediate Media Company | 186,036 | 8% | 6 | |
| ES Magazine | Evening Standard Limited | 183554 | -0.49 | 183554 | 6 |
| Yours | Bauer Media | 177,121 | -19% | 135 | 6 |
| Take a Break Monthly | Bauer Media | 169,918 | -1% | 6 | |
| Country Living | Hearst UK | 169,114 | 2% | 1,101 | 12 |
| Cosmopolitan | Hearst UK | 167,654 | -14% | 49,657 | 12 |
| Vogue | Conde Nast Publications Ltd | 164,231 | 1% | 37,988 | 12 |
| That’s Life | Bauer Media | 155,859 | -9% | 6 | |
| Chat | Future Publishing Ltd | 147,162 | -12% | 12 | |
| Bella | Bauer Media | 140,171 | -4% | 1,975 | 6 |
| The People’s Friend | DC Thomson Media | 135,627 | -4% | 379 | 12 |
| HELLO! | Hello! Ltd | 131,458 | -21% | 1,691 | 12 |
| Red | Hearst UK | 127,043 | -18% | 6,367 | 12 |
| Ideal Home | Future Publishing Ltd | 109,484 | -5% | 5,000 | 12 |
| Sainsbury’s Magazine | Seven C3 | 106,876 | -16% | 11,064 | 12 |
| Closer | Bauer Media | 103,781 | -32% | 4,616 | 6 |
| Woman | Future Publishing Ltd | 102,431 | -11% | 12 | |
| Harrods Magazine | Harrods Ltd | 98,326 | -7% | 105,497 | 12 |
| Elle (U.K.) | Hearst UK | 96,355 | -16% | 51,523 | 12 |
| New! | Reach Magazines Publishing plc | 96,106 | -28% | 4,946 | 12 |
| Woman’s Own | Future Publishing Ltd | 94,581 | -12% | 12 | |
| House & Garden | Conde Nast Publications Ltd | 93,845 | 1% | 25,435 | 12 |
| Women’s Health | Hearst UK | 88,840 | -28% | 5,758 | 12 |
| Harper’s Bazaar | Hearst UK | 84,361 | -17% | 46,208 | 12 |
| House Beautiful | Hearst UK | 84,342 | -4% | 1,076 | 12 |
| Your Home | Immediate Media Company | 83,374 | -7% | 962 | 12 |
| Real People | Hearst UK | 83,360 | -14% | 12 | |
| OK! Magazine | Reach Magazines Publishing plc | 83,222 | -26% | 12 | |
| Best | Hearst UK | 83,143 | -17% | 12 | |
| Grazia | Bauer Media | 79,670 | -19% | 11,061 | 6 |
| My Weekly | DC Thomson Media | 72,533 | -6% | 1,431 | 12 |
| Heat | Bauer Media | 70,504 | -35% | 5,332 | 6 |
| Love It! | ACH Publishing | 69,320 | -10% | 6 | |
| Tatler | Conde Nast Publications Ltd | 68,347 | -3% | 36,096 | 12 |
| Style at Home | Future Publishing Ltd | 64,418 | 13% | 12 | |
| Pick Me Up | Future Publishing Ltd | 62,325 | -16% | 12 | |
| Homes & Gardens | Future Publishing Ltd | 59,819 | -18% | 11,465 | 12 |
| Platinum | DC Thomson Media | 58,690 | 15,940 | 12 | |
| 25 Beautiful Homes | Future Publishing Ltd | 52,913 | 3% | 12 | |
| Country Homes and Interiors | Future Publishing Ltd | 52,123 | -3% | 12 | |
| HELLO! Fashion | Hello! Ltd | 51,240 | -25% | 369 | 12 |
| delicious | Eye to Eye Media Ltd | 51,197 | -6% | 6 | |
| Vanity Fair | Conde Nast Publications Ltd | 47,798 | -4% | 24,564 | 12 |
| Living etc | Future Publishing Ltd | 44,694 | -3% | 12 | |
| HomeStyle | Immediate Media Company | 44,443 | -12% | 1,154 | 12 |
| Elle Decoration | Hearst UK | 41,311 | -13% | 1,010 | 12 |
| World Of Interiors | Conde Nast Publications Ltd | 36,055 | -1% | 10,030 | 12 |
| Olive | Immediate Media Company | 33,360 | 24% | 215 | 6 |
| BBC Easy Cook | Immediate Media Company | 25,064 | -2% | 6 | |
| Period Living | Future Publishing Ltd | 24,774 | 2% | 12 | |
| The English Home – UK Edition | The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd | 24,711 | -6% | 1,868 | 12 |
| Homes & Antiques | Immediate Media Company | 23,879 | -7% | 12 | |
| BBC Home Cooking Series | Immediate Media Company | 22,233 | -10% | 6 | |
| Real Homes | Future Publishing Ltd | 22,018 | 3% | 12 | |
| The Lady | The Lady | 20,893 | -7% | 1,662 | 12 |
| Homes & Interiors Scotland | Peebles Media Group Ltd | 9,554 | -22% | 602 | 12 |
| Ireland’s Homes Interiors and Living Magazine | Ireland’s Homes Interiors and Living Magazine | 7,638 | 28% | 42 | 12 |
| All Ireland Kitchen Guide | Ireland’s Homes Interiors and Living Magazine | 2,770 | 41% | 12 |
Leisure interests inc home, sport & motoring
| Publication | Publisher | UK and ROI total ABC total | Year-on-year % change | Free copies | Months in audit period |
| The National Trust Magazine | National Trust | 2,676,535 | 2% | 12 | |
| Nature’s Home | RSPB | 585,638 | -3% | 12 | |
| English Heritage Members Magazine | Immediate Media Company | 445,521 | 0% | 12 | |
| Waitrose & Partners Health | John Brown | 444,150 | 0% | 444,150 | 12 |
| The Garden | RHS Media | 440,565 | 0% | 12 | |
| My VIP (Pets at Home Magazine) | John Brown | 357,844 | -26% | 357,844 | 12 |
| Caravan and Motorhome Club Magazine | Caravan and Motorhome Club | 347,570 | 0% | 12 | |
| Camping and Caravanning | Camping & Caravanning Club Ltd | 298,367 | -1% | 12 | |
| BBC Gardeners’ World | Immediate Media Company | 216,663 | 31% | 6 | |
| Saga Magazine | Saga Publishing Ltd | 212,689 | -6% | 4,925 | 6 |
| Boundless | Motoring & Leisure Services Ltd | 178,365 | -8% | 12 | |
| Shooting and Conservation | The British Association for Shooting and Conservation | 133,235 | -1% | 12 | |
| British Horse | Redactive Publishing Limited | 96,050 | 4% | 12 | |
| Waterlife | Think Publishing | 85,260 | -6% | 12 | |
| Conde Nast Traveller | Conde Nast Publications Ltd | 70,182 | 4% | 32,839 | 12 |
| Garden Answers | Bauer Media | 58,142 | 35% | 112 | 6 |
| Runner’s World | Hearst UK | 52,471 | -10% | 127 | 12 |
| BBC Top Gear Magazine | BBC Worldwide | 49,375 | -31% | 2,308 | 12 |
| National Geographic Traveller | APL Media | 45,997 | -2% | 14,273 | 12 |
| Motor Cycle News | Bauer Media | 43,230 | -10% | 218 | 12 |
| London Review of Books | LRB Limited | 41,873 | 11% | 4,154 | 12 |
| Garden News | Bauer Media | 39,587 | 18% | 107 | 6 |
| Car | Bauer Media | 38,196 | 11% | 312 | 12 |
| BBC Countryfile Magazine | Immediate Media Company | 37,602 | -5% | 12 | |
| Country Walking | Bauer Media | 36,950 | 12% | 148 | 12 |
| Landscape | Bauer Media | 35,881 | 28% | 44 | 12 |
| Country Life | Future Publishing Ltd | 35,273 | -2% | 2,018 | 12 |
| Countryside | The National Farmers Union | 34,254 | -3% | 9,006 | 12 |
| Auto Express | Dennis Publishing Limited | 33,478 | -7% | 176 | 12 |
| Today’s Golfer | Bauer Media | 33,346 | -10% | 235 | 12 |
| What Car? | Haymarket Consumer Media | 33,207 | -15% | 57 | 12 |
| Classic & Sports Car | Haymarket Consumer Media | 31,090 | -10% | 551 | 12 |
| Steam Railway | Bauer Media | 30,291 | -4% | 119 | 12 |
| Practical Classics and Car Restorer | Bauer Media | 29,749 | -12% | 216 | 12 |
| Match of the Day | Immediate Media Company | 28,440 | -12% | 12 | |
| Bike | Bauer Media | 27,655 | -3% | 241 | 12 |
| Land & Business | Redactive Publishing Limited | 27,296 | -6% | 12 | |
| Gardens Illustrated | Immediate Media Company | 26,568 | 2% | 12 | |
| Modern Gardens | Bauer Media | 24,158 | -9% | 63 | 12 |
| BBC Wildlife | Immediate Media Company | 23,830 | -12% | 12 | |
| The English Garden – UK Edition | The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd | 23,798 | -3% | 1,379 | 12 |
| Ride | Bauer Media | 23,741 | -12% | 135 | 12 |
| Cycling Plus | Immediate Media Company | 23,438 | -5% | 12 | |
| Evo | Dennis Publishing Limited | 22,863 | -15% | 829 | 12 |
| Hornby Magazine | Key Publishing Ltd | 22,838 | -3% | 12 | |
| Horse & Hound | Future Publishing Ltd | 22,666 | -14% | 12 | |
| Classic Bike | Bauer Media | 22,398 | -12% | 155 | 12 |
| Four Four Two | Future Publishing Ltd | 22,128 | -26% | 12 | |
| Classic Car Weekly | Bauer Media | 20,052 | -6% | 265 | 12 |
| The Field | Future Publishing Ltd | 19,906 | -10% | 12 | |
| Classic Cars | Bauer Media | 19,758 | -17% | 315 | 12 |
| Model Rail | Bauer Media | 19,619 | -4% | 123 | 12 |
| Scots Magazine | DC Thomson Media | 19,592 | -3% | 1,299 | 12 |
| Autocar | Haymarket Consumer Media | 19,531 | -16% | 330 | 12 |
| Mountain Biking UK | Immediate Media Company | 18,765 | 1% | 12 | |
| Angling Times | Bauer Media | 18,424 | -5% | 104 | 12 |
| Octane | Dennis Publishing Limited | 17,950 | -12% | 1,718 | 12 |
| Trout & Salmon | Bauer Media | 17,872 | 9% | 156 | 12 |
| Improve Your Coarse Fishing | Bauer Media | 17,807 | -1% | 97 | 12 |
| Rail | Bauer Media | 17,493 | -8% | 263 | 12 |
| Trail | Bauer Media | 17,178 | -9% | 103 | 12 |
| Land Rover Owner International | Bauer Media | 16,955 | -15% | 248 | 12 |
| Dalesman | Country Publications Ltd | 16,936 | -7% | 88 | 12 |
| Cyclist | Dennis Publishing Limited | 16,779 | -1% | 106 | 12 |
| Bird Watching | Bauer Media | 16,359 | 9% | 200 | 12 |
| Homebuilding & Renovating | Future Publishing Ltd | 15,626 | -10% | 12 | |
| Motor Sport | Motor Sport Magazine Ltd | 15,487 | -22% | 661 | 12 |
| Practical Sportsbikes | Bauer Media | 14,087 | -17% | 118 | 12 |
| Airliner World | Key Publishing Ltd | 13,683 | -14% | 12 | |
| Scottish Field | Wyvex Media Ltd | 13,485 | -12% | 182 | 12 |
| Practical Boat Owner | Future Publishing Ltd | 12,201 | 12 | ||
| Build It | Castle Media Ltd | 11,381 | -8% | 3,504 | 12 |
| Airfix Model World | Key Publishing Ltd | 10,268 | 10% | 12 | |
| Yachting Monthly | Future Publishing Ltd | 10,060 | -15% | 12 | |
| RPS Journal | The Royal Photographic Society | 9,226 | -3% | 12 | |
| SelfBuild & Design | Waterways World Ltd | 9,206 | -12% | 1,282 | 12 |
| Motor Boat & Yachting | Future Publishing Ltd | 6,301 | -15% | 12 | |
| Yachting World | Future Publishing Ltd | 4,541 | -12% | 12 | |
| The English Garden – North America Edition | The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd | 12 | |||
Children’s magazines
| Publication | Publisher | UK and ROI total ABC total | Year-on-year % change | Free copies | Months in audit period |
| Peppa Pig Bag-o-Fun | Redan Publishing Ltd | 62,743 | -5% | 6 | |
| Frozen | Immediate Media Company | 57,939 | 0% | 6 | |
| First News | First News (UK) Ltd | 57,633 | -7% | 4,759 | 12 |
| LEGO Special Series | Immediate Media Company | 50,314 | 22% | 6 | |
| CBeebies Special | Immediate Media Company | 49,681 | 3% | 6 | |
| LEGO NINJAGO | Immediate Media Company | 49,564 | -11% | 6 | |
| Fun to Learn – Peppa Pig | Redan Publishing Ltd | 47,284 | 10% | 6 | |
| CBeebies Magazine | Immediate Media Company | 46,792 | -2% | 6 | |
| The Beano | DC Thomson Media | 43,971 | 9% | 494 | 12 |
| Pokemon | Immediate Media Company | 43,438 | 3% | 6 | |
| Fun to Learn – Friends | Redan Publishing Ltd | 40,929 | 5% | 6 | |
| Top of the Pops | Immediate Media Company | 40,856 | -3% | 6 | |
| LEGO Star Wars | Immediate Media Company | 40,773 | 6 | ||
| CBeebies Art | Immediate Media Company | 38,309 | -2% | 6 | |
| PJ Masks | Immediate Media Company | 38,132 | 24% | 6 | |
| Girl Talk | Immediate Media Company | 37,986 | 5% | 6 | |
| LEGO CiTY | Immediate Media Company | 34,256 | -8% | 6 | |
| Andy’s Amazing Adventures | Immediate Media Company | 34,191 | -5% | 6 | |
| LEGO Super Hero Legends | Immediate Media Company | 33,946 | 6 | ||
| Hatchimals | Immediate Media Company | 32,800 | 8% | 6 | |
| Sparkle World | Redan Publishing Ltd | 29,605 | 9% | 6 | |
| Mega | Immediate Media Company | 29,590 | 3% | 6 | |
| Frozen Funtime | Immediate Media Company | 29,116 | -7% | 6 | |
| Fun to Learn – Favourites | Redan Publishing Ltd | 27,972 | 3% | 6 | |
| Disney Princess Create & Collect | Immediate Media Company | 23,122 | 6 | ||
| Baby Shark | Immediate Media Company | 22,393 | 6 | ||
| Disney Stars | Immediate Media Company | 22,143 | -32% | 6 | |
| Girl Talk Art | Immediate Media Company | 21,011 | -5% | 6 | |
| Ultimate | Immediate Media Company | 20,210 | 6 | ||
| LEGO Disney Princess | Immediate Media Company | 18,190 | 6 | ||
| Activity Series | Immediate Media Company | 18,104 | 8% | 6 | |
| Hey Duggee | Immediate Media Company | 13,231 | 7% | 6 | |
| Mr Tumble Something Special | Immediate Media Company | 9,828 | -37% | 6 |
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