Sun's Sunday edition loses 25% of sales

Rupert Murdoch's Sunday edition of the Sun has reported a drop in sales of almost 25% to just over 2.4m in March, the paper's second officially audited monthly circulation figures. The Sun's Sunday launch appears to have had an immediate negative effect on the circulation of its three main red-top rivals, with the Sunday Mirror and People down more than 30% in March and the Daily Star Sunday nearly 20%. The Sun's Sunday edition had an official circulation of 2,426,894 in March, according to the latest Audit Bureau of Circulations figures published on Friday. However, the paper remained by some distance the most popular Sunday national title in March, ahead of the Mail on Sunday's 1,824,965. News International's Sunday red-top title, which launched on the 26 February, reported a single week of audited sales in February's ABC audit of 3,213,613. Despite a multimillion-pound marketing campaign and maintaining a price of 50p, unofficial industry estimates put sales of the Sun's Sunday edition at just over 2m for the most recent issue, 8 April. However, the bank holiday is traditionally a low sales weekend for newspapers. Trinity Mirror's the People appears to have been the biggest loser from the News International launch in March, down 33.84% to 463,936, a 2.90% year-on-year decline. In the process the People slipped behind the Daily Star Sunday, which was down 19.30% month on month to 483,477. Year on year the Richard Desmond red-top was up 64.73%. The People's sister title the Sunday Mirror took almost as big a hit in March, down 30.61% compared with February to 1,106,259. Year on year the paper was up 4.06%. The Sun Sunday Headine circulation: 2,426,894 month-on-month change: -24.48% year-on-year change: N/A Overseas: 36,025 Mail on Sunday Headline circulation: 1,824,965 Month-on-month change: -3.05% Year-on-year change: -3.34% UK and Ireland paid-for circulation: 1,724,323 (94% of total) Overseas: 84,539 Sunday Mirror Headline circulation: 1,106,259 Month-on-month change: -30.61% Year-on-year change: +4.06% Overseas: 23,808 Daily Star Sunday Headline circulation: 483,477 Month-on-month change: -19.30% Year-on-year change: +64.73% Overseas: 6,415 The People Headline circulation: 463,936 Month-on-month change: -33.84% Year-on-year change: -2.90% Overseas: 14,247 Sunday Express Headline circulation: 503,985 Month-on-month change: -11.24% Year-on-year change: -5.48% Overseas: 13,998 Sunday Times Headline circulation: 928,260 Month-on-month change: -1.19% Year-on-year change: -10.03% Overseas: 42,150 Sunday Telegraph Headline circulation: 451,731 Month-on-month change: -2.07% Year-on-year change: -6.27% Overseas: 9,594 The Observer Headline circulation: 251,074 Month-on-month change: -0.77% Year-on-year change: -15.18% Independent on Sunday Headline circulation: 124,921 Month-on-month change: +0.53% Year-on-year change: -18.45% UK and Ireland paid-for circulation: 54,882 (56% of total) Overseas: 438 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