The relaunch of The Guardian and The Observer as tabloids has paid dividends in sales, the latest figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulations show.

In the first full month of data since the titles switched format on 15 January, sales of the Saturday edition of The Guardian rose 0.2% and The Observer 1.1% month on month.

While both titles once again posted year-on-year sales declines, these reduced to 3.8% on the weekday edition, 2% on the Saturday edition and 2.7% on The Observer, compared to an average fall of between 7% and 8% last year.

Guardian News & Media said the results showed the papers ‘lead the quality market for year-on year percentage sold copy’.

“We’re pleased that both the Guardian and the Observer are leading the quality market as the best performing newspapers year on year. This is testament not only to our readers’ response to our new format but also to our agenda-setting, independent journalism,” a Guardian, News & Media spokesperson said.​

Meanwhile, the Financial Times posted month-on-month rises of 2.3% for its daily edition and 2.8% for its Saturday issue. 

The red-tops posted the biggest annual declines overall, with sales of the Sunday Mail down 16%, the Daily Record down 14.7% on Saturdays and the Sunday Mirror down 14.6%. However, the Star once again posted February sales rises, its weekday and Sunday editions increasing 0.1% and 0.3% month on month.

February Monday to Friday newspaper sales
Title Core sales February 2018 Monthly change Yearly change Estimated Retailer Margin Total sales February 2018
Daily Mirror 528,931 -0.6% -12.5% £84.9 528,931
Daily Record 127,676 -0.3% -14.1% £20.5 127,676
Daily Star 394,280 0.1% -11.2% £28.6 394,280
The Sun 1,259,790 -4.3% -10.4% £140.5 1,378,124
Daily Express 338,628 -0.2% -7.8% £45.1 338,628
Daily Mail 1,115,863 -0.6% -7.2% £161.8 1,115,863
Daily Telegraph 338,265 -0.6% -10.4% £130.9 338,265
Financial Times 29,381 2.3% -13.6% £15.9 62,547
Guardian 122,606 -2.1% -3.8% £53.9 122,606
i  191,512 -0.3% -9.2% £25.3 251,854
Times 303,197 -1.4% -5.9% £104.3 393,139
TOTAL 4,750,129 -1.6% -9.4% £811.6 5,051,913

 

February Saturday newspaper sales
Title Core sales February 2018 Monthly change Yearly change Estimated Retailer Margin Total sales February 2018
Daily Mirror 681,647 -4.8% -13.2% £168.5 681,647
Daily Record 152,409 -2.7% -14.7% £34.4 152,409
Daily Star 370,154 -0.5% -9.5% £44.7 370,154
The Sun 1,715,512 -3.4% -7.6% £257.0 1,833,846
Daily Express 433,731 -0.6% -6.6% £74.4 433,731
Daily Mail 1,873,919 -2.8% -6.6% £393.5 1,873,919
Daily Telegraph 509,015 -1.4% -8.4% £252.0 509,015
Financial Times 69,664 2.8% -1.9% £55.1 69,664
Guardian 284,115 0.2% -2.0% £181.3 284,115
i 205,081 -1.6% 2.0% £35.3 265,423
Times 473,979 -1.0% -4.4% £173.2 563,921
TOTAL 6,769,226 -2.5% -7.5% £1,669.4 7,037,844

 

February Sunday newspaper sales
Title Core sales February 2018 Monthly change Yearly change Estimated Retailer Margin TOtal salesFebruary 2018
Sunday Mail 139,636 -0.8% -16.0% £52.8 139,636
Sunday Mirror 476,210 -4.2% -14.6% £150.0 476,210
People 188,745 -0.3% -14.4% £59.5 188,745
Daily Star Sun. 235,621 0.3% -8.3% £46.9 235,621
The Sun 1,232,705 6.9% -2.1% £284.8 1,351,039
Sunday Express 306,417 0.4% -6.8% £90.9 306,417
Sunday Post 122,532 -0.2% -13.5% £41.2 123,070
Mail on Sunday 1,041,472 -2.2% -9.2% £393.7 1,041,472
Observer 178,660 1.1% -2.7% £131.3 178,660
Sun. Telegraph 291,750 -0.6% -7.7% £132.7 291,750
Sunday Times 635,037 0.2% -6.8% £360.1 720,081
TOTAL 4,848,785 0.8% -7.8% £1,743.69 5,052,701