Buyers' Guide

Magazine consumers are increasingly demanding ethical and green paper sources and are willing to pay the extra cost, finds Nosmot Gbadamosi

It is impossible to ignore the environment, especially in the magazine sector, where being environmentally responsible has become paramount.

Consumers are behind this push to become greener, and to emphasise this point, Market Initiative’s Trend Report 2008 found that two-thirds of respondents would pay more for magazines printed on eco-friendly stock.

The commercial case for green is just one of the drivers for the rise in the appearances of FSC and PEFC logos on magazine flannel panels.

PrintWeek publisher Haymarket is one of the companies leading the way in this field. In January, it announced that its entire UK magazine portfolio would carry either the FSC and PEFC logo by this summer. Haymarket said it was an important signal to readers and advertisers that the company took its environmental responsibilities seriously.

Responsible sourcing
“There is a growing trend to source product components more responsibly,” explains Danny Doogan, group environmental officer for Media Paper Management.

“It is important for buyers to demonstrate they are buying the right products, so the FSC or PEFC logos are much sought after.”

With more than 2,000 magazines being sold every minute in the UK, according to the Periodical Publishers Association, and a whopping 500 new titles being launched annually, buyers are also seeking opportunities to further reduce waste and C02 emissions and differentiate themselves from their rivals. “The vast array of improved recycled papers shouldn’t be ignored,” says Doogan. He adds that paper manufacturers are offering 100% recycled stock on grades.

Pricing is also becoming an issue, according to Peter Sommerville, marketing director of Denmaur Papers. As a result of increasing paper prices, some publishers are lowering grammage to reduce costs.

Sommerville adds that the Royal Mail’s size-based pricing has led to some of his customers moving up in weight and so switching from tabloid format to A4.

Price considerations will always dominate the thoughts of publishers and printers. But, in the current business climate, showing environmental and corporate social responsibility is also vital. Expect this to be high on the magazine agenda for years to come.

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WHAT'S NEW IN MAGAZINE PAPER
• M-real launched Galerie Silk, a coated magazine paper stock, in January 2008. Tailored for heatset web-offset printing it is available in reels in a range of basic weights from 65-90gsm. It also launched the Galerie Customer Programme package, with a menu of supply service options priced with greater transparency
• Steinbeis Temming Papier announced it was investing €100m (£75m) in the construction of a new thermal energy coupling power station. The power plant will supply steam and electricity at its Glückstadt mill. The company also expects more than 100 jobs will be created by a planned investment in a new
paper machine
• In December, Finnish paper and pulp giant UPM-Kymmene cut 450,000 tonnes of magazine paper capacity at its Miramichi mill in Canada. The mill had been on temporary shutdown since August
• Magazine Week will take place this year, from 29 September to 5 October. The awareness campaign made its debut last year