Free Requested Delivered Copies - Regional Publications

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Free Requested Delivered Copies [Print/Digital]

A single free copy requested by and distributed to a known individual.

Principles

1. Single copy per issue, distributed to a known individual 

2. Individual has personally requested to receive the publication

3. Only copies distributed in UK and Republic of Ireland can be claimed

Requirements 

1. Single copy per issue, distributed to a known individual 

1. You must be able to demonstrate the copy is distributed to the individual. 

2. You do not need to deliver to the same addresses from issue to issue. However in terms of total free requested copies claimed:

   1. Daily publications: may vary the number of copies delivered to on different days of the week, but the number of copies delivered must be consistent and regular in quantity by day of week. I.e. Mondays must all be broadly the same; Tuesdays must all be broadly the same etc.

   2. Non-daily publications:  the number of copies delivered per issue must be consistent and regular in quantity. 

3. You must retain a list of individual recipients (including address details) for each issue in the reporting period. 

4. You cannot claim distribution of back issues.

Guidance Available

2. Individual has personally requested to receive the publication  

1. You must have third party evidence that the individual has, within the last three years, made a clear request to receive the publication before you send it to them. 

Guidance Available

3. Only copies distributed in UK and Republic of Ireland can be claimed

No additional requirements.

Note: If you’re claiming digital copies, please also refer to the additional requirements in the Digital Copies section.

Reporting

Mandatory 

Average Free Requested Copies per issue for the period [reported as Free Copies] analysed by:

1. Print
2. Digital Copy

Optional

1. A verifiable overview description of the Free Copies claim

2. The average Free Copies claim analysed into:

   1. Regular:

      1. Free Pick Up Copies (print only), optionally broken out by:

         • Gross distribution

         • Net Distribution

      2. Free Letterbox (print only)

      3. Free requested

   2. Sample:

      1. Free Pick Up Copies (print only), optionally broken out by:

         • Gross distribution

         • Net Distribution

      2. Free Letterbox (print only)

      3. Free requested

Guidance

G1. Single copy per issue, distributed to a known individual

1. You must be able to demonstrate the copy is distributed to the individual. Examples are: 

   1. If via a third party: This will usually be from a third party company whose normal business is single copy distribution (such as Royal Mail).  Typically the evidence will include testing the payment of invoices and related advice notes sufficient to identify the publication, issue, quantities and date distributed.

   2. If via an in-house/non-3^rd party distribution set up: You must be able to provide evidence of how the distribution is organised and carried out. One method of doing this is to arrange for the distribution to be independently verified by telephone or email as follows:

      • The telephone call-back or email verification testing is conducted by an organisation independent of the publisher.

      • Each issue is tested, before the next issue is distributed, except for those publications published more frequently than once a week who may carry out the telephone call-back or email verification testing on a weekly basis, with the telephone call or email covering each issue delivered during that week. 

      • The sample size for testing is as follows:

        • If the free requested delivered claim for the issue is less than 1,000 copies then you must test a sample of at least 10 individuals.

        • If the free requested delivered claim for the issue is between 1,000 copies and 1,999 copies then you must test a sample of at least 20 individuals

        • If the free requested delivered claim for the issue is 2,000 copies or more then you must test a sample of at least 30 individuals.

      • The sample for testing is selected on a random basis (for example by sorting the list by surname and selecting on a fixed interval basis).

      • To enable the distribution to be independently verified you, as part of the request process, capture either the telephone number or email address of the individual requesting the publication. 

      • The telephone call-back or email verification testing asks the individual (and records):

        • Their name (and confirm the address).

        • Whether they received the last issue of the publication*. (*If the testing is to cover a number of issues distributed in the week (e.g. for a daily publication) then there is a separate question and answer recorded for each issue). 

        • Any relevant comments made concerning the distribution.

      • The telephone call-back or email verification testing documentation includes:

        • The publication name and issue date.

        • The date the call back or email verification testing was carried out.

        • The respondent’s name and address.

        • The respondent’s telephone number, for call back testing carried out by telephone or email address for email verification.

        • The respondent’s response to the question about whether they received the last issue of the publication. 

        • Any relevant comments made by the respondent.

        • Name and signature of your call back researcher for telephone testing.

      • You pro-rate the results across the distribution. For example: If 5% of the sample say they did not receive the copy, then 5% of the free requested copies recorded as delivered is deducted from the ABC claim. 

G2. Individual has personally requested to receive the publication

1. You must have third party evidence that the individual has, within the last three years, made a clear request to receive the publication before you send it to them. The following provide guidance and examples of acceptable methods of achieving this: 

   1. The requestor must have been asked and agreed, or they have stated, that they wish to receive a copy of the publication. Bear in mind you will need to be able to demonstrate this at audit. For example using a question such as ‘sign here to request a free copy of <publication name> or ‘Complete this form to continue receiving this publication’.

   2. There must be a clear separate request to receive the publication that is not combined with a request for another product or service. For example: This means if the requestor is being offered the opportunity to request two or more publications, or register for an exhibition at the same time as requesting the publication, it should be clear to them that they can separately request to receive the publication(or not)  with or without requesting or accepting  the other product/service. You may use separate questions or separate boxes to make it clear what the individual is requesting in this scenario. 

   3. For a written or faxed request, the evidence could be demonstrated as third party by requiring the requestor to sign and date the form/request. 

   4. For a request made over the telephone, by email or online, the following gives guidance and examples of how details could be demonstrated as third party:

      • Asking the requestor to provide their name and the answer to ABC’s Personal Identifier Question (PIQ) - a memorable question set by ABC and changed each calendar year – details of the current PIQ can be found on the ABC website.

      • In the case of telephone requests, recording the telephone calls in a manner that can be made available for review at audit. If you would like our advice on whether a call recording system might be acceptable please contact us. Note: It remains your responsibility to comply with any legislation regarding the recording of telephone conversations. 

      • It may help if a copy of the data captured via online or telephone campaigns is kept in its original state as once this data is entered or merged onto a main database the audit trail evidencing the collection of the data can be lost. You may also consider retaining invoices from external contractors evidencing the work carried out in this regard.

      • You are advised to retain copies of online forms/screenshots or telephone scripts to provide evidence of questions asked and responses recorded.