Daily Star cashes in on Sun price rise

Richard Desmond's Daily Star posted its first month-on-month circulation rise this year in July as its tabloid rival, the Sun, hiked its cover price to 40p . The 30p Daily Star reported a sales boost of 3.53% compared with June, to 623,534, in July. Desmond's title responded to News International's price rise by declaring itself "10p cheaper than the Sun and 10 times more fun" in large promotions on its front page throughout July. The Northern & Shell title, which has now returned to its 35p cover price, was down 11.78% year on year. The Sun saw its circulation decline 1.27% month on month after the 10p price rise , which was introduced on 2 July – a modest circulation decline that will please News International executives, given the extra revenue generated by the price hike. News International's red-top daily is still the tabloid market leader by a considerable distance, with sales of 2,550,859 last month, down by 9.6% from a year ago. The Daily Mirror, which is marginally more expensive than its rivals at 45p, reported a steady month in July. Sales of the Trinity Mirror title were flat, at 1,082,054, but that is a 8.72% decline compared with July last year. July is typically a quiet month for the tabloids, as many Britons go on summer holiday. The start of the London 2012 Olympics on 27 July may have marginally helped sales towards the end of the month, but not enough to negate the impact of seasonal trends. Mid-market titles suffered losses last month, with the Daily Express down 7.79% compared with June, to 555,544 – a 11.25% slide on a year ago. The Daily Mail fell 0.95% month on month, to 1,921,239, or 6.29% on July 2011. It was a different story in the quality market, where big year-on-year declines are partly explained by the phone-hacking revelations in July 2011 which dominated front pages for much of that month. The Guardian had an average circulation of 209,354 in July, down 1.02% on the previous month and 15.85% year on year. In July 2011 the Guardian – like MediaGuardian, published by Guardian News & Media – added around 12,000 sales a day on average in July after it broke the story of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler's voicemails being targeted by the News of the World. Evgeny Lebedev's cut-price i continued its good run with a 2.76% month-on-month rise to 280,122. The 20p daily is up 52.51% on its July 2011 sales. The Times managed to hold on to its diamond jubilee sales boost in June with a 0.99% circulation rise in July to 404,099. The News International title was the biggest winner in June when it was boosted both by its souvenir jubilee editions and its front-page series on celebrities' tax avoidance. The £1 daily was down 8.41% year on year. The Daily Telegraph was up 1.32% in July, compared with the previous month, with a circulation of 581,249. That represented an 8.34% year-on-year fall. The Sun Headline circulation: 2,550,859 Month-on-month change: -1.27% Year-on-year change: -9.60% Saturday edition: 2,893,519 Overseas: 60,207 Daily Mail Headline circulation: 1,921,239 Month-on-month change: -0.95% Year-on-year change: -6.29% Saturday: 2,603,069 UK and Ireland paid-for circulation: 1,694,489 (88.5% of the total) Overseas: 103,608 Bulks: 117,142 Daily Mirror Headline circulation: 1,082,054 Month-on-month change: +0.07% Year-on-year change: -8.74% Saturday: 1,246,261 Overseas: 55,078 Daily Star Headline circulation: 623,534 Month-on-month change: +3.53% Year-on-year change: -11.78% Saturday: 547,941 Overseas: 12,570 Daily Express Headline circulation: 555,544 Month-on-month change: -7.79% Year-on-year change: -11.25% Saturday: 626,546 Overseas: 18,349 Daily Telegraph Headline circulation: 581,249 Month-on-month change: +1.32% Year-on-year change: -8.34% Saturday: 755,591 Overseas: 20,185 The Times Headline circulation: 404,099 Month-on-month change: +0.99% Year-on-year change: -8.41% Saturday: 503,083 Overseas: 24,493 Financial Times Headline circulation: 290,765 Month-on-month change: -2.17% Year-on-year change: -13.61% Saturday (UK and Ireland only): 107,202 UK and Ireland paid-for circulation: 58,947 (20.3% of the total) Overseas: 198,131 Bulks: 33,687 i Headline circulation: 280,122 Month-on-month change: +2.76% Year-on-year change: +52.51% Saturday: N/A UK and Ireland paid-for circulation: 215,664 (77% of total) Bulks: 64,458 The Guardian Headline circulation: 209,354 Month-on-month change: -1.02% Year-on-year change: -15.85% Saturday: 373,225 The Independent Headline circulation: 83,619 Month-on-month change: -7.09% Year-on-year change: -54.28% Saturday: 113,368 UK and Ireland paid-for circulation: 63,682 (76.2% of the total) Overseas: 642 Bulks: 19,295 Headline circulation includes lesser rate sales, subscriptions, bulks – copies sold to airlines, rail companies, hotels and gyms for a nominal fee and given free to the public – and distribution in Ireland and overseas. UK and Ireland paid-for circulation excludes bulks and overseas distribution; where this figure is not given, bulks and overseas distribution account for less than 5% of total circulation • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication". • To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook