He said: “The OFT’s opinion throws up some positive results but not as many as we would have liked. For example, more retailers may find opportunities through passive selling, while on the back of the OFT’s emphasising of the industry’s current code of practice on news supply, the supply of newspapers to even the smallest newsagents has been ensured.”
However, Lennon also acknowledged the OFT had not gone far enough in giving retailers choice of supply and that “the competition injected into magazine distribution was only a very small step in the right direction toward retailer choice”.
Lennon confirmed the ANR would continue to campaign for a system that delivers more choice, efficiency and good practice throughout the news supply chain, and would be submitting a formal response to the OFT’s draft opinion.
The OFT has initiated a consultation period, which ends on June 17, prior to issuing a final opinion during the summer.
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