The Courier Week 20

Page 1

Edition 20

www.thecourier.es

Friday, July 8, 2011

RIP-OFF!

COMPARE THE MARKET DOT CON

UK newspapers facing boycott after price hike

THE latest hike in the price of UK newspapers could spark a full-blown boycott of the British press by expats.

PETER WATKINS: Rarely buys a paper

On average, an English daily paper costs three to four times as much here in Spain as it does in a British high street. And with some retailers receiving just five per cent of the cover price, more and more people are asking: ‘Where does all the money go?’ Retired Fleet Street journalist Peter Watkins, who now lives in Cabo Roig, buys an English daily paper only when it’s essential. The former Daily

DONNA GEE reports Mirror and People sub-editor told me: ‘‘The pages are sent to Spain electronically, so why the prices are hiked up, I don't know. ‘’What I find particularly annoying is that there are never any inserts. In the UK they can pay 50p or so for the Sun in the week and maybe 60p at weekends. But you get TV mags plus other 'freebies'. The Mail is constantly giving away CDs but you never see them here. ‘’I believe the Mail is the only paper which gives Spanish

times for TV listings, but I wouldn't pay €2.20 for the Sun or Mirror. ‘‘I don't know any of my friends out here who buy a paper, either. It’s such a rip-off.’’ The moguls of Wapping and Canary Wharf argue that it is not commercially viable to sell their publications more cheaply. Yet justifying such extortionate prices for newspapers that are printed in Spain is difficult. The Sun, Mirror, Star and Express all increased their prices last Friday by between 10 and 30 cents – and the News of the World, Star on Sunday and

Cont’d on Page 2

THE COSTA LOT... The Sun Daily Mirror Daily Star Daily Mail Daily Express News of the World Mail on Sunday

€2.20 €2.20 €2.0€ €2.20 €2.10 €2.50 €3.30

PRICE IN THE UK The Sun Daily Mirror Daily Star Daily Mail Daily Express News of the World Mail on Sunday

60p 65p 55p 80p 70p £1.00 £1.50

FULL COMPARISON - P2


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