Menzies has announced it will be transferring its magazine packing operation from Linwood in Scotland to Wakefield in West Yorkshire.

In a letter sent to retailers on 29 September announcing the changes, the wholesaler said it would partially carry out the move on 5 October, with a full rollout expected on 19 October.

All magazines will be packed in Wakefield then transhipped to a retailer’s current newspaper supplying branch for delivery to their stores.

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However, former retailer Neville Rhodes said it would “end in tears”. He told Better Retailing: “This is beyond satire. It is about the same as Paris magazine vendors getting their supplies from a Milan wholesaler.

“Linwood to Aberdeen was bad enough at 170 miles, but switching the packing to Wakefield more than doubles the distance to around 360 miles.”

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The letter from Menzies read: “The unprecedented impacts of Covid-19 mean that we are shaping a ‘new normal’ and Menzies has been reviewing changes to our branch network.”

Back-office functions will also move to Wakefield. The process for returning stock will remain the same.

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