Consumer ABCs 2023: Home interest magazines reset after pandemic resurgence

Consumer ABCs 2023

Total circulations of nearly every UK home interest magazine fell in 2023, according to the latest consumer ABC figures.

RHS Media’s The Garden, which holds the highest total circulation in this category, saw print circulation fall 2% to 517,484. The Garden achieved double-digit circulation growth in 2022.

Immediate Media’s BBC Gardeners’ World fell more sharply (-13% to 215,569), including a single-digit decline in digital circulation (-2.5%).

Meanwhile, Hearst UK publications such as Country Living (-3.6% to 175,039), House Beautiful (-6.4% to 79,246) and Elle Decoration (-6.1% to 44,527) also saw drops in overall circulation despite double-digit growth in digital circulation.

Condé Nast magazines House & Garden (-0.3% to 112,059) and World of Interiors (flat growth at 54,165) nearly bucked the trend.

The anomaly was Ireland’s Kitchen Guide, which grew 4.2%.

The near-universal decline marks a downturn for a category that saw a resurgence in popularity during the pandemic, as official stay-at-home guidance led to improved interest in home and gardening hobbies that was retained, at least in part, through 2022.