Times increases cover price in Scotland

News International is set to up the cover price of the Saturday edition of The Times and The Sunday Times by 10p in Scotland, matching the title’s cover prices south of the border.

The two papers will be priced at £1.50 and £2 respectively from this weekend, though the weekday issue will remain unchanged at 90p, according to reports.

The move to up the paper’s cover price in Scotland follows News International’s decision to increase the cost of The Times‘ weekday edition in the rest of the UK by 10p to 90p (see The Times ups its weekday cover price).

Speaking about the UK-wide changes, Times‘ columnist Sally Baker said: “It gives us no pleasure to ask readers to pay more in what will be a tough year for so many people, but I am afraid it was inevitable against the background of the economic downturn and the ever-rising cost of newsprint.”

News International has made a number of changes in recent months in a bid to counter increased printing costs and the economic downturn, which has hit the newspaper industry particularly hard.

Last month, the paper announced plans to relaunch its Saturday edition with a revamp of its supplements and a new broadsheet format section (see Times to relaunch its Saturday edition).

The first edition of the new look Saturday Times, which is understood to be contributing to News International’s wider cost-cutting plans, is expected to hit the newsstands at the end of January.

In the latest ABC release, The Sunday Times had an average net circulation of 71,748, whiles The Times‘ weekday edition had an average circulation of 28,707 in Scotland.

ABC does not give a separate breakdown of circulation figures for Saturday’s edition of The Times.

News International: 020 7782 3922 www.newscorp.co.uk