W H Smith Group Plc And Retail Display Allowance

EDM number 1142 in 1995-96, proposed by Peter Hain on 10/07/1996.

That this House notes that W.H. Smith Group plc proposes to introduce a retail display allowance on small circulation publications and that this new charge will be equivalent to 5 per cent. of the cover price; further notes that W.H. Smith Group plc already enjoys premium trading terms from supplying wholesalers and that this new proposal stands only to benefit W.H. Smith Group plc and will be to the detriment of small publications such as Tribune; is aware that the earlier decision by W.H. Smith Group plc to de-lista number of small circulation publications, including Tribune, had resulted in significant loss of sales; furthermore recognises that there are broader moral and legal ramifications associated with this company's attempt to establish margin differentials within the same product group; and condemns W.H. Smith Group plc for their contempt towards diversity and choice.

This motion has been signed by a total of 48 MPs.