Telegraph and Times consider scrapping bulk copies

Telegraph Media Group and Times Newspapers are thought to be considering scrapping their bulk sales.

The move, which follows Guardian Media Group’s decision to stop selling bulk copies of The Guardian and The Observer in August, would have a substantial impact on their audited circulation figures.

In the latest ABC release, for August 2009, bulk copies were responsible for 91,442 copies of the Daily Telegraph, 67,386 of Sunday Telegraph, 46,439 of The Times and 18,757 of the Sunday Times.

In the past, the two companies have sold bulk copies to airlines and hotels at heavily discounted rates on the basis that they were samples.

However, the cost of producing and distributing extra copies with little return has made publishers question the value of bulk sales.

If TMG and Times Newspapers go ahead with the plan, they would make significant bottom line savings and it would have no effect on advertising revenues because buyers already ignore bulk copies when buying ad space.

Associated Newspapers and Independent News & Media, the two other publishing groups that distribute a large number of bulk copies, are not thought to be following suit.