Consumer ABCs 2024: 5 key takeaways
Consumer ABCs 2024
Total magazine circulations once again fell in 2024 as consumer and special interest titles face challenges in retaining subscribers amid a transition to digital.
But, according to the latest consumer ABC figures, there are a number of bright spots, with several strong-performing titles across different categories managing to attract a substantially larger audience in the past 12 months or retain a steady base of print subscribers.
For example, Hearst UK’s Good Housekeeping, Bauer Media’s Grazia and Condé Nast’s Wired all saw positive gross circulation growth among lifestyle titles, while current affairs titles like Private Eye and The Economist‘s Espresso supplement similarly performed well.
Across publishers, the transition to digital was shown to be in full swing throughout 2024. As Sajeeda Merali, CEO of the Professional Publishers Association (PPA), pointed out to The Media Leader, digital subscriptions increased 20% in 2024.
Hearst saw 2% year-on-year headline growth across its portfolio, but digital subscriptions grew 25%. At Immediate Media, digital subscriptions exceeded its print base for the first time in its history; digital circulations rose 49.6% to 129,796, but print circulations fell 11% to 726,030.
In an insights piece accompanying the report, Merali noted that magazine memberships are also “experiencing notable growth”, providing a sense of community to readers. She added that publishers are predicting positive commercial development in podcasts and events in 2025.
“There has never been a time when authentic voices, quality editorial, brand safety and trusted audience data were so important,” Merali wrote. “Look at what’s happened so far in 2025 — we have a fast-changing geopolitical landscape, increased involvement in policy-setting by the biggest tech companies and the removal of censorship and fact-checking. We live in a world of infinite content, algorithms, echo chambers and misinformation.
“That’s why organisations like ABC matter, providing independent verification and insights that demonstrate how audiences genuinely engage with trusted editorial brands. Places where advertisers can safely share their products and services, and reach the right audience.”
Speaking separately to The Media Leader, Merali added that the results “prove that our industry is continuing to adapt, innovate and prove its multichannel relevance.
“At the core of this success is trusted journalism and expert-led content, which remains key to the value of magazine brands for both audiences and advertisers.”
Advertising folk, Britain’s young news readers are not all like you
That said, Adam Foley, CEO of independent agency Bountiful Cow, highlighted the decline in print circulation and lack of easy consumer access to magazines as continued concerns for advertisers, although he noted that those that do continue to advertise with print titles will benefit from accessing highly engaged enthusiasts.
“The other day, I went out to buy a magazine. The first four newsagents I went to were more focused on vapes and didn’t sell a single newspaper or magazine at all. In the end, I gave up,” he told The Media Leader. “With the distinct possibility of WHSmith closing its doors in the near future, the ability for people to find a place that sells magazines in-depth is plummeting along with circulations. ‘In-depth’ is the most pertinent thing here — magazines, at their best, service niche interests brilliantly.”
Foley, who previously worked at The Guardian, praised magazines as an “unmatched” editorial product to sit down with for a few hours.
“No other media has quite got the same ability to make you feel like part of a club,” he explained. But he warned that the “all too familiar spiral” of declining distribution and the “subsequent desertion of advertisers” appears “inevitable”.
“Let’s hope the magazine industry can learn from the trials and tribulations of the news brand sector in successfully monetising online brands,” Foley concluded, adding: “In the meantime, the advertisers that make the most of the truly magical ‘magazine’ moment and make a real connection with the readership will reap dividends.”
Here are five takeaways from the latest consumer ABC data.
1. Fashion titles lean on digital growth with mixed results
Lifestyle magazines, particularly fashion ones, were buoyed by strong increases in digital circulations. While just two titles (Harrods Magazine and Hello! Fashion) managed to retain or marginally grow print subscriptions, all but two publications (Future’s Woman & Home and Bauer Media’s Yours) grew digital circulations and almost all by the double — if not triple — digits.
Top lifestyle title Good Housekeeping (Hearst) grew digital circulation 59% year on year, while print circulation dipped just 3%. As such, total circulation ticked up 2% to 370,395.
Hearst’s Women’s Health (+13% gross circulation to 91,064) and Men’s Health (+1% gross circulation to 78,354) also grew during the year, thanks to upticks in digital circulations.
Meanwhile, Bauer Media’s Grazia was the biggest mover in terms of gross circulation (+46% to 137,376), thanks to a near-doubling (+94%) of digital circulation to 93,399 — the largest digital circulation of any title in the category.
Condé Nast brands saw mixed results. GQ‘s gross circulation fell 15% to 72,058, as the 56% growth in digital circulation was not enough to offset the 26% decline in print circulation.
It was a similar story for Vogue (-5% gross circulation to 180,036), Tatler (-8% to 72,351) and Vanity Fair (-14% to 50,027), with print losses outstripping strong digital gains.
On the other hand, tech outlet Wired saw gross circulations jump 8% as a result of a 143% surge in digital subscribers.
2. News and current affairs titles show resilience
While a majority of news and current affairs titles saw year-on-year declines in total circulation, a number of titles showed resilience in maintaining and, in some cases, substantially growing subscribers.
The Economist remains the UK’s top news and current affairs magazine at more than double the size of the next largest brand (Our Media’s BBC Science Focus, which more than doubled total circulation to 347,189, thanks to triple-digit growth in digital circulation).
Digital circulation for The Economist fell marginally in 2024 (-2% to 970,074), while print circulation dipped 10% to 442,957. However, its daily news update supplement, Espresso, saw 28% growth in subscribers to 27,775.
Meanwhile, the rare print-only consumer affairs title Private Eye remained flat, notably retaining a circulation of 232,638 after a single-digit decline in circulation in 2023.
The Spectator, which GB News investor Sir Paul Marshall purchased in 2024 for £100m, saw a modest 2% increase in gross circulation to 100,213. Print circulation fell 4% to 54,662, while digital circulation grew 12% to 45,551.
Among the biggest movers, Prospect grew its digital circulation by 87% in 2024 to 25,167, offsetting a 14% decline in print circulation to 15,106. Editor Alan Rusbridger commented that the figures “demonstrate a strong and growing appetite for trusted long-form journalism”.
Few current affairs magazines saw double-digit declines in circulation in 2024. Among them was Time, whose EMEA print circulation fell 15% year on year to 54,517 and EMEA digital circulation fell 8% to 30,893.
3. Home interest titles’ digital growth partially offset print losses
The Royal Horticultural Society’s print-only magazine The Garden — by far the most popular title in the home interest category — retained a steady circulation in 2024, with just a 1% decline in subscribers to 510,232.
Hearst’s Elle Decoration was the biggest grower. Total print and digital circulation grew 15% to 51,043, as strong 60% growth in digital more than offset a modest 3% decline in print.
Similarly strong digital growth helped to offset print declines at two Our Media titles: Your Home and HomeStyle. Both outlets more than doubled digital circulations last year.
The only title in the category to grow print circulation in 2024 was Future’s Homes & Gardens, which notably saw a 15% dip in digital circulation that was more than offset by print growth of 8%.
4. Lifestyle weeklies in decline
All lifestyle weekly titles, with the exception of Bauer Media’s Closer, saw declines in total circulation.
Closer grew 2%, thanks to 44% growth in digital circulation. Closer was notably the only title in its category to grow digital circulation in 2024.
In fact, all but five titles (including Closer) saw double-digit declines in total circulation. Bauer’s Take a Break, the top title in the women’s weekly category, saw a 9% drop in total circulation to 248,544. The next largest title, Future’s Woman’s Weekly, had a 7% decline in gross circulation to 144,533.
Among the biggest movers were Reach’s OK! and New!, which saw 24% and 23% declines in total circulation to 37,615 and 33,619 respectively.
5. TV listings decline slows
All TV listings magazines once again saw declines in total circulation, although many still retain robust subscriber bases.
Bauer Media’s print-only TV Choice saw a modest 3% decline in circulation to 894,375. Apart from Tesco Magazine and The Economist, TV Choice has the highest circulation among any magazine in the UK.
Meanwhile, Future’s What’s on TV saw a similar 4% decline in circulation to 528,845.
Immediate Media’s Radio Times saw a somewhat sharper decline in print circulation (-11% to 330,358) as well as a 6% drop in digital circulation to 10,884.
In each case, declines were less steep than the year earlier, suggesting some resiliency.
The full data from the 2024 ABC release is available in Adwanted Connected’s new Publishing app for subscribers.
Users can analyse the ABC release with Adwanted Connected’s dedicated report and pre-built category publication lists to quickly get a steer on how the market is performing for both digital and print titles. A help video is available for those seeking assistance navigating the report.
Adwanted is the parent company of The Media Leader.