Nearly nine in 10 (88%) retailers have seen a decline in magazine sales in their store, according to a C-Store poll.

Earlier this year, the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) reported that UK magazine print sales had dropped 6.3% in the second half of 2013.

Anjali Karpal who owns Anjalika in East Grinstead and Essential Convenience Store in Horsham, West Sussex, has seen a drop in a once-successful category. But she welcomed attempts by the industry to bolster sales. “Some publishers are grouping magazines together for sale at a lower price than the combined price of the individual titles, which has generated some interest in customers,” she said.

Jon Ellis of Town Common News in Christchurch, Dorset, advised retailers to be disciplined. “My sales are holding up because I treat it like every other category delivery,” he said. “I’ll try any new title that’s sent to me just once and if it doesn’t sell I’ll send it back and not accept it again.”