The Independent is raising its cover prices. The Monday to Friday issues will cost an extra 20p from next week, moving up to £1, while the Saturday issue will be increased by 10p this weekend, to £1.60.
So the equality of cover price with The Times, which has just increased its weekday and Saturday prices, didn't last very long at all. The Daily Telegraph increased its price on Monday to 90p.
Given the Indy's sales difficulties at the current price, this is bound to cause a further drop in circulation. It sold just 230,033 copies a day on average in August, down 4% on the same month the year before.
But that headline figure conceals the fact that it "sold" 55,000 copies abroad (oh yeah?) and also relied on 41,000 bulk sales within Britain. So, in real terms, the paper sold only 131,000 at its 80p cover price.
How far will its owner, Tony O'Reilly, let it fall before he pulls the plug?
