Rules & Resources
Newspaper Support Center

Home-Delivery Promotions Guidebook—Canadian Newspapers

Multiple Subscriptions to the Same Newspaper

A multiple subscription sale is defined as the sale of two or more subscriptions of the same newspaper to one individual, for personal use (not intended for resale).

If multiple subscriptions are being purchased by a business to promote their professional interests, then home-delivery rules do not apply, rather the sale is governed by the guidelines for third-party sales.

Pricing

A qualifying price for the sale of two subscriptions to the same newspaper by a single individual is one cent per subscription, net of all considerations.

Promotional Material

All promotional material must:

  • Identify the number of subscriptions involved in the sale.
  • State the term and frequency of each subscription.
  • State the purchase price.
  • Reflect a qualifying price.
  • Exclude any reference to any of the subscriptions as being free, no additional cost, bonus, or other synonymous language.

Examples—Multiple Subscriptions to the Same Newspaper

Reporting

Circulation generated from multiple subscription sales is classified as Home Delivery on the ABC Publisher’s Statement.

Canadian Publisher's Statements delineate between circulation sold at 50 percent or more of basic prices and circulation sold at less than 50 percent of basic prices.

The price classification for sales of multiple subscriptions is based on the subscription price offered to the consumer.

  • If the price offered for the subscription is 50 percent or more of basic prices, the circulation is included in Paragraph 1A.

  • If the price offered for the subscription is less than 50 percent of basic prices, the circulation is included in Paragraph 1B, with further disclosure in Paragraphs 1G.

In Paragraph 2, the circulation is classified in the proper reporting zone based on where the copies are delivered to the subscriber.

Also see gift subscriptions.


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