2025 NATIONAL PRESS & MAGAZINE INSERTS REVIEW

Canopy Media, the UK’s leading inserts sales house, continues to provide proprietary research and market insight across the National Press and Magazine inserts landscape.

With nearly 20 years’ operating at the centre of the channel, inserts remain our core focus and area of expertise. Our in-house Market Monitor delivers a structured year on year view of advertiser engagement, sector movement and competitive shifts.

This market update reviews 2025 performance, highlighting the key trends shaping the channel and where momentum is building.

The wider UK print industry continues to evolve as publishers balance print editions alongside expanding digital platforms. Industry analysis estimates total UK printing sector revenue at approximately £9.2 billion in 2025, highlighting that while structural shifts toward digital consumption continue, print remains a substantial and established media environment.

Audience engagement with trusted editorial brands also remains strong. 96% of UK adults still consume news regularly across platforms, while 71% of adults engage with magazine brands across print and digital formats. Although circulations have declined over the past decade, print newspapers are still sold in their millions - daily across the UK, reinforcing the continued reach and relevance of established national news-brands and magazine titles.

MARKET OVERVIEW

Following a standout 2024, national press and magazine inserts activity dropped 11% in 2025 - yet remained within 4% of 2023 activity levels.

This moderation reflects the broader media landscape, where advertising investment tightened across multiple channels during the early part of the year as brands navigated inflationary pressure and cautious consumer sentiment.

However, the headline figure does not reflect the full trajectory. Core sectors remained active and performance strengthened as 2025 developed, reinforcing inserts’ established role within the wider media mix.

SEASONAL STRENGTH POWERS Q4 GROWTH

2025 vs 2024:

Quarter-on-quarter movement followed established seasonal patterns, with activity softening during the middle of the year before accelerating strongly into the final quarter.

Q4 2025 delivered a 63% uplift versus Q3, underscoring the channel’s consistent strength during peak trading periods.

The first half of 2025 reflected broader caution across the UK market, with brands operating under tighter planning cycles and disciplined investment.

As confidence stabilised through the second half of the year, inserts activity rebuilt steadily, culminating in 10% year-on-year growth in Q4 2025.

This uplift aligned with improving trading conditions across the wider market. UK advertising spend was forecast to grow by approximately 7.3% in Q4 2025, according to the Advertising Association and WARC, reinforcing the return of year-end momentum.

Industry sentiment also strengthened during this period. Wider printing sector outlook reports pointed to the strongest growth in output and order volumes in more than three years by late 2025, signalling improving confidence across the supply chain.

MONTHLY PERFORMANCE: CLEAR H2 ACCELERATION

2025 began more cautiously than 2024, particularly in Q1.

From mid year onwards, performance improved steadily. By September, the year on year gap had narrowed to just 3% versus the previous year.

The final quarter marked a decisive shift.

October returned to growth

November recorded +14% YoY

December delivered +22% YoY

The year closed with clear recovery momentum.

CATEGORY LANDSCAPE: STRUCTURAL STABILITY

WITH COMMERCIAL GROWTH

Across 2024 and 2025 combined, Charity remains the structural anchor of the market, delivering more than double the volume of the next largest category.

Over 50s and Online & Mail Order form a strong second tier, reinforcing inserts’ alignment with response driven and trust led audiences.

Commercial growth in 2025 also emerged strongly in the following sectors:

Food and Drink: +47% YoY

Retail: +22%

Telecoms and Utilities: +19%

While selected lifestyle categories softened year on year, activity spans 20 categories overall, demonstrating depth and diversification rather than concentration.

ADVERTISER MOMENTUM DEPTH AND RENEWAL

Throughout 2025, a range of leading and trusted brands made their mark in the inserts market, with advertisers such as Admiral Insurance, Operation Smile, Tapi Carpets, Christian Blind Mission, Canal & River Trust, and St John’s Ambulance joining - or returning to - the lineup, alongside other prominent national retailers and charities.

Across 2024 and 2025, 659 inserts advertisers were active.

105 increased activity year on year.

156 were new or returning in 2025.

Sustained inserts activity among leading advertisers across both years signals repeat planned investment and confidence in the channel. Moreover, growth was not concentrated among a small group, reflecting expansion across scaling brands and high activity incumbents alike. 

TITLE CONCENTRATION PORTFOLIO POSITIONING

Across 2024 and 2025, advertisers concentrated investment in high reach, trusted national news-brands and habitual weekly magazine titles.

The majority of the highest activity national and magazine titles sit within the Canopy portfolio, positioning Canopy at the centre of inserts planning across both scale and premium readership environments.

WHAT THIS SIGNALS FOR 2026

The 2024 and 2025 data reflects stabilisation and rebuild rather than sustained decline.

Momentum returned in the second half of 2025. Commercial participation broadened. Core sectors maintained structural scale.

With repeat investment from leading advertisers, fresh market entrants and portfolio strength concentrated within Canopy, inserts enter 2026 from a position of renewed confidence.

At a time when advertisers are navigating fragmented digital environments and increasing competition for attention, trusted editorial media continues to offer scale, credibility and audience engagement. Within these environments, inserts provide a tangible and high impact format capable of delivering strong response and measurable performance.

Canopy is not simply participating in recovery. We are positioned to lead it.

For more insight into the National Press and Magazine inserts market, or to explore opportunities across the Canopy portfolio, please get in touch:

sales@canopymedia.co.uk