8 email: editor@printmonthly.co.uk November | December 2026 - Issue 363 printmonthly PrintMonthlyMagazine printmonthly_signlink printmonthly INDUSTRY | NEWS Report says printed ads leave people happiest A new global report from global media association, FIPP, and UPM Communication Papers shows that printed magazine advertising is outperforming social media and influencer advertising in trust, relevance, and happiness. The study, which UPM cites as “the most extensive research into print advertising conducted in over five years”, found that printed magazine advertising has the highest happiness score of any advertising format measured in the study. 63% of regular readers in the study say that magazine ads make them happy, compared with only 39% for influencer ads. 66% of magazine readers also say that reading magazines leaves them feeling good about themselves. According to the study, one driver of the results is the human factor, as two in three readers prefer that magazines have been created by humans rather than AI. New Royal Mail price changes come into effect A new set of Royal Mail price changes come into effect on October 5th, meaning parcel stamp prices have risen by between 35p and £1.45 per item, representing an average increase of roughly 8%. Meanwhile, First and Second Class standard letter stamps and large letter stamps remain at their current prices, as well as Mailmark franking prices. Parcelforce Worldwide items requiring manual handling may now incur a new manual handling surcharge of £4.15 per item. The changes follow a regulatory dispute over wholesale price increases that Royal Mail was also planning to introduce. Royal Mail originally planned to implement large-scale price increases for its Network Access and wholesale services, a network used by corporate bulk mailers, utility companies, and direct mail advertisers. The proposed hikes included an approximate 36% increase for Business Mail. The scale of the increase triggered a backlash from the sectors affected, with access operators filing a formal dispute. By Jonathan Pert 70% of readers say they pay more attention to an ad when it matches editorial content By Jonathan Pert “Serious concerns” raised about UPM Sappi Joint Venture UPM and Sappi have received a Letter of Facts from the European Commission raising serious concerns about the proposed graphic paper Joint Venture that the companies are in the midst of finalising. The response from the European Commission means that the graphic paper merger between UPM and Sappi faces the risk of being blocked by European regulators with the Commission remaining particularly concerned about reduced competition and price hikes. The Joint Venture, which was launched in response to demand and cost issues within the paper market, would see UPM Communication Papers and Sappi’s graphic paper business combine with a 50/50 agreement. The Joint Venture would operate as an independent company, managing its own operations, resources, and decisions within agreed shareholder boundaries. UPM and Sappi announced the planned Joint Venture in 2025 and signed the definitive agreement on the transaction in May 2026. The transaction requires merger control approvals, though most jurisdictions including China, South Africa, and the US, which have already approved the transaction. The paper manufacturers have already conditionally selected nominees for senior leadership roles within their planned graphic paper Joint Venture. After receiving the Letter of Facts, UPM has released a statement saying that it “disagrees with the Commission’s preliminary assessment and will continue to engage with the review process.” UPM also highlights its belief that the proposed Joint Venture would “support the long-term competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience of the European graphic paper industry.” The proposed Joint Venture is being reviewed while the European Commission updates its competition rules to fit a changing global economy, aiming to protect fair competition while also supporting business resilience, innovation, and investment. UPM highlights that due to digitalisation, the demand for graphic paper in Europe has reportedly more than halved over the past two decades and is projected to decline further in the coming years. According to the company, the proposed Joint Venture represents a “rational response to these market realities” which would enable “a more orderly adjustment of industry capacity.” UPM believes that without the Joint Venture, the outlook for the European graphic paper industry is likely to become more challenging, with European producers under increasing pressure and customers more dependent on imports. In its statement, UPM concludes: “Continued market decline and overcapacity would make it increasingly difficult to maintain a competitive and reliable European supply base.” The European Commission’s final decision is expected by around the New Year, with UPM and Sappi currently in the process of formally analysing and responding to the Letter of Facts. By Jonathan Pert The Joint Venture would see UPM and Sappi’s graphic paper businesses combine with a 50/50 agreement Ofcom officially accepted a dispute from mail organisations in September, triggering an automatic suspension of planned wholesale price increases
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