Daily newspapers in the United Kingdom (UK) 2021-2023, by circulation
Free newspaper Metro had the highest reported circulation among daily newspapers in the United Kingdom in December 2023 with 951 thousand copies distributed to the public. Ranking second with a paid circulation of 733 thousand was the Daily Mail, followed by free paper Evening Standard with a circulation of 275 thousand. Due to the Sun, Times and Telegraph titles having kept their circulations private since the beginning of 2020, comparing circulations across major news brands has grown more difficult. The Guardian also chose to keep its circulation figures private and as such is not included in this analysis. Daily papers published on Sundays only can be found here.
When it came to popularity and the public's opinion of selected major newspapers, commuter paper Metro was the favorite. Data found that Metro was the most popular newspaper in the UK, followed closely by The Guardian. Metro enjoys a wide readership thanks to its regular distribution in London, and remains free to readers.
Newspapers in the UK
Expenditure on newspapers in the UK decreased consistently over the last few decades. In 2005, annual spending on newspapers exceeded 4.4 billion British pounds, whereas by 2020 this figure had fallen considerably to 2.8 billion GBP. Despite this, newspapers remain important to consumers. A survey held in the United Kingdom found that the Daily Express was considered the most important newspaper to readers, whilst titles from the Sun lagged behind in this respect.When it came to popularity and the public's opinion of selected major newspapers, commuter paper Metro was the favorite. Data found that Metro was the most popular newspaper in the UK, followed closely by The Guardian. Metro enjoys a wide readership thanks to its regular distribution in London, and remains free to readers.
