La Poste's announcement of a new rate increase for press transport continues to provoke reactions. Scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026, this 7% increase comes against an already tense backdrop for print titles. In response, representatives of more than 2,500 publications are calling on the French government to reconsider its public service mission.
Publishers are denouncing a U-turn by La Poste, which had signed an agreement in 2022 guaranteeing price visibility until 2027. According to the Alliance de la presse d'information générale (APIG), SEPM and FNPS, La Poste has invoked a review clause to justify this early increase. In particular, La Poste claims that its press distribution costs will increase by 40% by 2023.
This decision has given rise to considerable misunderstanding within the industry. For the unions, it is above all an attempt to compensate for the structural decline in traditional mail, by transferring the financial burden to publishers.
In the Finance Bill for 2026, funding for distribution support (postage + carriage) would fall by ?10 million to ?139 million. Specific support for postage would fall from around ?75 million in 2025 to ?70 million in 2026.
The 7% increase announced by La Poste as of January 1, 2026 will have a direct impact on the unit price of press delivery by post. For PIPG titles, the average rate will rise from ?0.35 to ?0.38 per copy. Specialized publications, meanwhile, would see their cost rise from ?0.50 to around ?0.53. For titles outside the scope of postal aids, the rate would now be around ?1, compared with ?0.90 at present.
Against this backdrop, La Poste is forecasting a 40% increase in distribution costs by 2023. The structural decline in mail volumes is now weighing heavily on the group's accounts, and it is seeking to transfer some of these costs to other segments, notably the press.
But from the publishers' point of view, this logic amounts to making a fragile sector bear the consequences of a postal decline that is not of its making. The state-owned company has posted a profit of 1.4 billion euros in 2023, which fuels incomprehension. Press professionals believe that it is neither up to them, nor their subscribers, to compensate for a declining business model.
In fact, more than two million paper copies are still distributed every day by La Poste, even in the most remote areas. This postal press service is governed by law, and is one of the last links in the chain of equal access to information. This price increase directly threatens the economic viability of a paper version at a time when dematerialization is gaining ground.
Despite the growth in digital subscriptions and online audiences, print revenues still account for up to 80% of sales, depending on the publisher. This revenue helps finance the entire editorial chain, including investment in digital.
At a time when every budget line is under scrutiny and everyone in France is being asked to make an effort, it's time for all players, from the State to La Poste and publishers, to fully assume their share of responsibility within a global, clear and sustainable budget framework. When you consider that direct and indirect support for the press exceeds ?460 million a year, and could reach ?564.5 million by 2025 on a like-for-like basis, the question is no longer just how much money is involved, but how coherent and effective it is.
