The weekly magazine price war took a fresh twist this week, with Gruner
and Jahr slashing the price of its celebrity title, Here!, from 55p to
25p as a spoiler to the launch of IPC’s Now.
Here! launched with a trial cover price of 35p on 3 June. The price rose
to 70p before dropping to 35p and then apparently stabilising at 55p.
Now launched on 18 October with a 30p cover price. IPC has said the
price will rise to a premium of 60p.
The price war was sparked by IPC last summer when it slashed the cover
price of its leading women’s weeklies, Woman and Woman’s Own, from 55p
to 30p, in response to the launch of Here! (Campaign, 12 June).
Jackie Newcombe, publisher at Now, said: ‘We anticipated they would do
this. They’re very upset we made it more difficult for them.’
Paul Hodgson, circulation director at G and J, said: ‘We want to take
advantage of a market which has been shaken up by heavy activity from
one particular publisher.’
