Metro has overtaken The Sun for the first time in terms of the average number of weekday copies the two titles distribute across the UK, new ABC figures for May show.
Free title the Metro has a total average UK distribution of 1,479,775, Monday to Friday, compared with the paid-for Sun’s 1,471,014.
The Sun’s total includes figures for Ireland, but Metro only distributes in England, Scotland and Wales. This is the first time the Sun has not had the biggest Monday to Friday UK distribution since 1978.
But, the Mudoch title still claims a larger overall circulation than the Metro and is the best-selling daily national newspaper in the UK with a total circulation – including Saturday and foreign sales – of 1,575,996.
Metro’s distribution rose by 10 per cent year-on-year in May, boosted by an 18 per cent year-on-year hike in the number of copies distributed across London alone.
Charlie Cox, Metro chief executive, said: “I’m extremely proud of the team that has taken Metro to the top spot. Becoming the number one national weekday newspaper demonstrates we are still delivering the right product to the right people, in the right place at the right time.”
Metro editor Ted Young added: “This is a massive milestone for Metro and testament to the product we put out in every major city every weekday morning.
“Our neutral political stance appears to be appreciated more than ever as we continue to provide all the information for our readers to make up their own mind, whilst getting equipped with all the latest world news, sports and showbiz before they start their working day.
“For as long as that appetite is there, we hope to satisfy it and remain the largest distributed newspaper in Britain.”
ABC figures also show The Sunday Times is the only paid-for newspaper to record real circulation growth in May, while the general decline in print sales across the UK news industry continues.
The Sunday title’s circulation was up by 1.5 per cent year-on-year, after bulk copies were removed from the total, putting it at 702,410.
Mirror nationals continued to record a significant fall in circulation year-on-year in May. The Sunday Mirror was down 20 per cent to 562,962, the Daily Mirror and Sunday People were both down 17 per cent to 646,179 and 223,907 respectively.
The steepest circulation fall was the Daily Star Sunday, with fell 23 per cent year-on-year to 248,111.
National Scottish titles also recorded double-figure year-on-year decline.
Average circulation for UK daily and Sunday newspapers in May 2017 (source: ABC):
| Publication | Circulation
May 2017 |
% change month-on-month | % change year-on-year | Bulks |
| The Sun | 1,575,996 | -2.54 | -8.2 | 119,668 |
| Metro (free) | 1,479,775 | -0.02 | 9.95 | |
| Daily Mail | 1,443,213 | -0.75 | -6.53 | 64,868 |
| The Sun on Sunday | 1,347,793 | -0.78 | -7.08 | 127,815 |
| The Mail on Sunday | 1,239,788 | 0.1 | -8.24 | 60,748 |
| London Evening Standard | 903,334 | 2.85 | 0.04 | |
| The Sunday Times | 802,912 | 2.97 | 3.22 | 100,502 |
| Daily Mirror | 646,179 | -5.94 | -17.01 | 1,043 |
| Sunday Mirror | 562,962 | -3.78 | -20.48 | |
| The Daily Telegraph | 479,271 | 2.5 | -2.35 | 62,102 |
| The Times | 456,925 | 2.51 | 4.28 | 98,873 |
| Daily Star | 429,378 | -1.96 | -15.62 | |
| Daily Express | 381,705 | -1.19 | -8.03 | |
| The Sunday Telegraph | 355,492 | 0.19 | -4.16 | 34,323 |
| Sunday Express | 335,129 | -0.09 | -7.5 | |
| i | 267,092 | 1.24 | -6.52 | 57,490 |
| Daily Star – Sunday | 248,111 | -1.86 | -22.67 | |
| Sunday People | 223,907 | -1.81 | -17.12 | |
| Financial Times | 195,167 | -0.95 | -1.63 | 21,750 |
| The Observer | 177,670 | -2.1 | -6.04 | |
| Sunday Mail | 157,331 | -1.59 | -16.15 | |
| The Guardian | 153,163 | -0.55 | -7.57 | |
| Daily Record | 147,583 | -1.54 | -14.54 | |
| Sunday Post | 136,388 | -1.55 | -12.05 | 538 |
| City AM (free) | 90,894 | 0.37 | -6.56 |
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