Sainsbury’s Magazine, the UK’s widest-read paid-for women’s monthly magazine with more than 4 million readers*, is to become the first food magazine in the country to launch a handbag-sized version.

The move to sell a handbag-sized magazine comes at a time when more and more shoppers seek recipe inspiration while actually in store, shopping. The new size makes that job easier; it will launch from the July issue, on sale 2 June.
The handbag-sized magazine, published by customer engagement agency Seven Squared, will be available in both Sainsbury’s Local and Sainsbury’s supermarkets and will supplement the main print run.
This size of magazine lends itself particularly well to Sainsbury’s Local, which are often smaller and have limited shelf space. The new format will be displayed in bespoke clip-on units.
With a unique mix of food and lifestyle content, Sainsbury’s Magazine offers its readers both recipe inspiration and ideas for their homes, families, health and holidays. It’s packed with tips and advice from some of the best writers in the business, including Jamie Oliver and Nigel Slater on food and Dr Mark Porter on health. The magazine continues to cost just £1.40.
Keith Black, Sainsbury’s News and Magazine Buyer, says of the move: ‘Handbag-sized has always been the obvious next step for Sainsbury’s Magazine. It has been a great success for women’s fashion magazines and we’re sure it can do the same for Sainsbury’s. With summer around the corner, we’ve timed it right to tailor the magazine to readers seeking cooking inspiration while holidaying both at home and abroad.’

Sainsbury’s Magazine has won the prestigious Periodical Publishers Association (PPA) Customer Magazine of the Year award three times – last scooping it in 2009 – and is the only magazine to have done so.

Seven Squared and Sainsbury’s Magazine have set about 2010 with similar vigour, with both the Noughties Food Awards in the February issue and whoopie pie recipes in the June issue proving big hits and receiving widespread positive coverage in the press, and the Sit Down Sunday campaign inspiring families to spend time together eating.
*reference: NRS January-December 2009

About Seven Squared

Seven Squared was established in 2007, following the acquisition of Square One Publishing by Seven Publishing Group. With total revenues of £30m, Seven Squared is a top player in the fast-growing customer-publishing sector. Clients include Sainsbury’s, ASOS.com, British Airways, Coutts & Co, Lawn Tennis Association, English Heritage, First Great Western, HBOS, Waterstone’s, Jobcentre Plus (part of the Department for Work and Pensions), Defra, St George, Alliance Healthcare, Highways Agency, Marks & Spencer, Metropolitan Police Service, First TransPennine, RAC, Skandia, Training and Development Agency for Schools and Vision Express.

For more information, contact

Jane Austin or Sam Solley at Persuasion Communications on 020 7485 4777 or 07989 953938; jane@persuasioncomms.com or sam@persuasioncomms.com