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

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.

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