Shaping the future of print through consumer insight and collaboration

The World Association of News Publishers’ WAN-IFRA DistriPress Congress, held in Rotterdam on 4–7 October, brought together publishers, distributors and other industry professionals from around the world. For us, the event was an opportunity to meet international partners, exchange experiences and explore how approaches in other markets could inform our own development work.

This year marked the first time that the annual DistriPress and World Printers Forum events were held concurrently. Discussions shared a common goal: to strengthen the appeal of print, enhance the customer experience and improve profitability.

For Lehtipiste, three key themes emerged: deepening consumer understanding, demonstrating and increasing the value of newspapers and magazines, and understanding how meaningful content influences purchasing decisions.

🔎 Consumer insight guides development
Sales data tells us what people buy. Consumer insight helps us understand why they choose a particular title and what might encourage them to buy more. Lehtipiste’s Assortment Director, Anna-Leena Raita, contributed to the international discussion by sharing findings from consumer research conducted by Lehtipiste and K Data Insights, alongside a research framework developed for our publishing partners to use. Her presentation generated considerable interest and discussion about how to develop the single-copy sales market.

🛒 Making the value of newspapers and magazines visible
The importance of the category should also be considered in terms of the value it brings to retailers and their customers. Understanding purchase motivations helps shape product ranges, in-store displays and marketing. Appealing titles must also be available and easy for shoppers to find as they move through the store.

💎 Meaningful content gives readers a reason to buy
Trust, engaging content and perceived value are key strengths of print. Buying individual issues also offers flexibility: readers can choose a title that suits their interests and needs at that moment. Newspapers and magazines can offer inspiration, enjoyable ways to spend time and a break from screens. Highlighting these benefits is important in both product development and marketing.

On the final day of the congress, “The Space Race” discussion focused on the future of newspapers and magazines on retail shelves. Demonstrating the value of the category and developing content, distribution and in-store displays are shared responsibilities that call for close collaboration between publishers, retailers and distributors.

In our partner meetings, we exchanged experiences of developments across markets and explored opportunities for collaboration. These international exchanges offer fresh perspectives and practical ideas to inform our work.

Thank you to WAN-IFRA DistriPress and all the partners we met for the open discussions and exchange of ideas!