News wholesaler condemned for carriage charge hike

NFRN Ireland says Newspread has not written formally to retailers advising them on "inflation-busting" 4.1% rise

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Independent newsagents in the Republic of Ireland have condemned news wholesaler Newspread for increasing its carriage charge template by 4.1%.

To make matters worse, newsagents group NFRN Ireland claims there has been no formal notification of the increases, apart from a letter to customers in October advising that the carriage charge template was to be reviewed.

In that letter, Newspread wrote: "We recognise that the current economic climate poses difficulties for many retailers and therefore we will endeavour to keep any charge to an absolute minimum."

Responding to the new charges, NFRN Ireland president Joe Sweeney said: "How can Newspread say in one breath that it will keep charges to an absolute minimum and then hike its template by an inflation-busting 4.1%?

"Not only that, but the company appears to have tried to keep this unacceptable increase well under wraps. It has not written formally to retailers advising of the new carriage charges; most of our members were only aware of the increase when they checked their invoices after 1 December. Newspread should hang their heads in shame."

NFRN Ireland vice president Peter Steemers added: "With no change in the volume of product delivered to news retailers and no change to publishers’ terms and conditions, there is no justification for an increase of 4.1%. Yet again it demonstrates the unfair burden that the supply chain is imposing on independent newsagents."

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