According to the NFRN: This move means that retailers selling the Leicester Mercury are now receiving a margin of just 16.33 per cent – the lowest in the newspaper industry.
The protest meeting at Leicester’s Jungle Club was organised by Leicester president Deepak Tanna and the NFRN’s local retail development manager Julie Smith. Among those attending was the Federation’s national newspaper operations manager Bob Scott.
With just standing room only, the meeting came just days after appeals from the NFRN for the newspaper publisher to think again fell of deaf ears. Management at the Leicester Mercury had blamed rising paper costs and lack of advertising for the need to increase the cover price on the Saturday edition.
Many members reported a drop in sales as a result of the move, with home news delivery customers in particular cancelling orders. Others said they would no longer be displaying the title in their stores.
Ahead of the meeting Mr Scott took to the airwaves to tell BBC Radio Leicester listeners how the Mercury’s actions could impact on the survival of independent newsagents and threaten home news delivery operations, which were a lifeline to the old, infirm and those without transport.
At the meeting it was agreed the Federation should step up its activity against the newspaper. Letters are to be sent to all Mercury advertisers warning them that local newsagents are in dispute with the newspaper publisher and that any individual action by retailers could prevent their advertisements reaching the consumer.
The NFRN is also writing to other newsagents within the newspaper’s circulation area to make them aware of how the move will impact on their businesses. A follow up meeting is planned for next month, with an invitation extended to Leicester Mercury management to attend.
