According to the Press Distribution Review Panel, the most significant changes are:
Restitution Payments for Lateness
Wholesalers, publishers and distributors have agreed to pay a flat rate 55p per copy when there is serious or persistent late delivery. However newspaper publishers have a restitution cap of £60 per retailer per complaint and £6,000 for the entire complaint. The cap has been reviewed and as a result been doubled.
Clarification of Terminology
"Persistent" as applied to late delivery has always been an issue. Within the new retail guide "persistent" is defined as:
Newspapers – The same problem occurs three times in three weeks for Monday to Friday newspaper three times in six weeks for Saturday or Sunday newspapers.
Magazines – The same problem occurs three times in six issues of a weekly, fortnightly or monthly magazine.
Supporting Evidence
The new publication contains comprehensive information as to how to make a Press Distribution Charter complaint and gives the retailer a much better idea of the conditions surrounding PDC complaints and the amount of restitution that may be awarded.
Neil Robinson, PDRP Chairman, said: "The PDRP is totally committed to transparency, consistency and managing retail expectation and these principles are encapsulated in the new 'PDC - Retail Notes of Guidance'. The PDRP will continue to work diligently in order to simplify the complaints process at Stage 2 and make it quicker and easier to use."
