ABC Results Jan-Jun 2006:Women’s Monthlies Market Still Volatile

Year on year declines continued to be the norm for the majority of women’s monthlies, with large decreases in circulation for some titles.

Conde Nast’s Glamour stayed in front of the pack as the magazine of choice, although the title’s circulation, of 586,056, was down 3.9% year on year.

The largest sales increase for the sector came for Easy Living, also published by Conde Nast, which recorded a 17% year on year increase, or a 29,045 increase in real terms, which took its circulation above the 200,000 mark.

Eve also recorded a significant increase in circulation, with a 9,377 year on year increase, taking its circulation to 171,454 for the first half of 2006.

The largest fall in actual terms was recorded by Real, which witnessed a year on year drop of over 58,000, leaving it with a circulation figure of 143,849.

Essentials meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in the women’s monthly sector, with a fall of 29.6% year on year.

Good Housekeeping and Marie Claire also posted circulation declines in the first six months of the year, of 34,687 and 50,154 in real terms. IPC is set to revamp Marie Claire in October in a bid to halt falling sales.

Of the IPC titles, only InStyle saw an increase in sales, of just 0.2%, taking its circulation figure to just over 197,000.

This follows the announcement made at the start of the month that IPC will close Family Circle after more than 40 years because of a dwindling circulation figure (see IPC Closes Family Circle).

Harpers Bazaar was the best performing title for NatMags, recording a year on year increase of 5.4%, while the rest of the publisher’s titles in the women’s monthly sector all saw declines in sales.

The figures listed in NewsLine’s ABC reports are those reported by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) as at Thursday 17 August 2006. Late submissions and changes may be made after this date, and will thereafter be amended in MediaTel’s Press database.

ABC: 01442 870 800 www.abc.org.uk