GNM axes bulk distribution

Guardian News & Media is axing the distribution of newspaper bulks in order to “increase transparency”.

The move will see 12,000 bulk copies of the Guardian removed – which made up 3.9% of its monthly sales in June, according to the latest ABC figures – while 20,000 copies of the Observer will go – 5.1% of its June ABC figure.

Joe Clark, GNM director and general manager for newspapers, told MediaGuardian: “To a greater or lesser degree bulk sales are used by newspaper groups to prop up their ABC figure.

“Yet their credibility in the ad community is low and for those affected by the recent investigation into airline bulks that credibility has been undermined further.”

GNM will stop including bulk copies in its ABC figure from this Friday’s release and will stop distributing them from next month.

In March, the ABC revealed that is was investigating national newspapers’ bulk sales following a spot check on multiple sales copies sent to airlines.

It found that there was a wide disparity between the claimed and actual distribution figures.