AFTER three successive months, when the sales gap between Scotland’s two best-selling daily newspapers was narrowing, it has widened to the biggest-ever: almost 45,000.
From the latest ‘ABCs’, consisting of the average net circulation figures for January, the gap between the Scottish Sun and the Daily Record has increased to 44,451. By contrast, between October and December, the gap had narrowed, from 37,591, to 36,744 and then to 26,330.
The January ABCs reveal an average net circulation of 415,670 (up from an average 389,659 in December) for the Scottish Sun and 371,219 for the Daily Record (compared to 363,32 the previous month).
Meanwhile, the Sunday Mail continues to be the biggest-selling newspaper in Scotland, though its average was slightly down, from 460,051 in December to 459,896 last month. Its average for November was 460,009.
Average Net Circulation figures include free give-aways.
Not surprisingly, The Scottish Sun was in buoyant mood. “While other papers were battening down the hatches in the face of the fierce winter storms, we were brightening up Scotland by selling an incredible 415,670 copies a day,” it began.
“That meant a gap of nearly 45,000 on our opposition – the biggest EVER. And it’s no surprise we beat the January blues with an irresistible mix of big stories and big give-aways.”
The paper acknowledged that give-aways are substantially helping boost its circulation figures – pointing out three January promotions, including two energy-saving light bulbs for every reader.
