THE Daily Star of Scotland may no longer be appearing on the shelves of some Scottish newsagents, the Scottish President of the National Federtation of Retail Newsagents is warning.
Says Abdul Qadar, newsagents began receiving, from yesterday, 24.2 per cent on every copy sold, at the cover price of 20p, ie 4.84p. He said he expected a “fierce debate” about the issue when the Scottish Council of the NFRN meets tomorrow in Perth.
Before yesterday, retailers received 24.2 per cent of 25p, even after the paper’s cover price had been reduced to 20p. And in the immediate future, they can expect to receive 24.2 per cent of 20p, even if the paper is reduced in price to 10p, from the first of next month, as is being widely speculated.
In a statement issued last week by the NFRN, Edinburgh-based Qadar suggested that, at 4.84p per copy, some newsagents might stop selling the Star.
He said: “Given the newspaper’s low circulation compared to the other red-top tabloids, this is a very risky strategy and newsagents in Scotland will be wondering if this paper deserves the space on their racks and may well decide to investigate how the space devoted to this product might be given to something that offers a better profit.”
He continued: “We have been working constructively over the past year with our Scottish publishers in trying to come up with ways to stem the decline of newspaper circulations and it is only by rewarding newsagents that a positive sales culture can be created.”
By comparison, the margin for the Daily Record is 9.4p.
