They do not throw lavish parties. Their editors are not immortalised in films. But the magazines put out by Britain’s supermarkets have a growing presence where it counts: in handbags and on coffee tables. In 2005 the Audit Bureau of Circulations’ top ten magazines contained two supermarket publications, with a combined distribution of 3.8m. Now there are five, reaching 7.7m people.
Publications such as Tesco Magazine and Your M＆S are either sent to loyalty-card holders or picked up in stores, where they often enjoy prime placement next to the cash tills. They contain a mixture of heartwarming stories, recipes and product information. Rather than simply touting shampoo or artichokes, they explain how readers might use them. "We begin with what the customer wants to know and then feed in what the brand wants to say," explains Keith Grainger, chief executive of Redwood, a customer-publishing firm which produces a magazine for Marks ＆ Spencer, among others.
Most supermarket magazines are put together by such outside agencies. They consult with stores about which products to feature. The agencies may collect a fee for their work or sell advertising, although few of the publications carry enough ads to cover their production costs. Supermarkets view them not as moneymakers but as a form of marketing. Magazines not only help to sell more products, they say; they also increase loyalty to the brand.
It may be tempting to believe that most people throw these freebies away. But the large National Readership Survey finds that Tesco Magazine reaches 6.4m Britons, suggesting each copy is read by three people. And with such huge circulations, the magazines have lots of affluent readers. Asda’s publication is read by 7.3% of all people belonging to social class A—handily beating upscale titles such as Country Living and Vogue.
By suggesting there is still value in dead trees, supermarket publications encourage their paid-for equivalents. But they also provide growing competition for advertising and readers. Their content has gradually converged with that of women’s magazines. Both are heavy on consumer advice, of the "wear this top with that skirt" type. Thanks to data from loyalty-cards, some supermarket rags know much more about their customers than do rival magazines. As they go online, they will be able to target readers with ruthless precision.
Britain’s four big supermarkets—Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Tesco—are vital outlets for all kinds of media. Many magazine and book publishers depend on them. They already account for almost a quarter of all spending on music, more than double the share of Apple’s iTunes. Their magazines extend their dominance. Media retailers are on their way to becoming media conglomerates.
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