In assuming its responsibility to regulate press distribution, Arcep has made readers’ interests a capital consideration, working to ensure that they have broad access nationwide to a diverse and high-quality selection of print media publications, at an affordable price. Today, Arcep is publishing a survey conducted by CSA whose aim was to understand print media readers’ expectations and buying motivations when visiting a newsagent. The Authority is also publishing an infographics-based summary of the findings.
Conducted over the second half of 2022 on a sample of 4,000 people who are representative of the French population, this survey had four objectives:
- quantify readers’ level of satisfaction with print media publications sold by the issue;
- identify and rank any possible problems and malfunctions;
- gather feedback from recent newsagent visitors who did not make a purchase;
- draw up a profile of their expectations.
Over the course of one year, 62% of people in France visited a newsagent at least once.
Between October 2021 and October 2022, 62% of French people visited a newsagent at least once, and 42% bought at least one press publication.
Daily (or virtually daily) press buyers in newsagents represent 2% of the population of France, and weekly buyers 8% of the population. Fifteen percent of the French people queried said they buy a press publication at least once every two months from a newsagent.
Among the buying motivations when visiting a newsagent, 42% cited the pleasure of going to the newsagent whether to browse publications, or for the human contact with their newsagent. Forty percent of buyers cited particular circumstances such as going on holiday, travelling…
Readers’ satisfaction level: visitors enjoy their trip to the newsagent, and virtually all of them say they are satisfied with the selection of publications on offer.
The overall level of satisfaction stands at 7.3 out of 10, amongst the entire sample of those polled. It increases significantly with more frequent buyers, topping out at 8.5 amongst people who buy a print media publication on a virtually daily basis.
Regarding the selection of publications on offer, 27% of those queried are very satisfied, and 60% are somewhat satisfied. Here too, the satisfaction level correlates with buying frequency: 59% of virtually daily buyers are very satisfied, compared to 26% of sporadic buyers.
