Publisher-backed paper delivery website Deliver My Newspaper has closed down and customers are instead being redirected to Newsteam Group.

Deliver My Newspaper was a service launched by operated by News UK and backed by most national newspaper publishers. It arranged for customers to place orders with a local home news delivery (HND) retailers and offered incentives such as six weeks free delivery. The site has generated tens of thousands of new customers for participating HND agents.

However, Better Retailing understands the service was axed at some point after 27 January. Now, the site states: “The Deliver My Newspaper website has now closed.

“If you wish to arrange home delivery of your favourite newspaper titles please contact your local retailer directly to confirm if they offer a home delivery service and they will then provide you with information on delivery times and costings if they provide this service.

“Alternatively please follow this link to see if Newsteam can help arrange your delivery https://www.newsteamgroup.co.uk“.

Speaking to Better Retailing, Newsteam Group managing director Jonathan Kennett responded: “It’s critical to us that all home news delivery orders are placed and where we’re not able to serve a customer request for delivery we receive, we work hard to find an alternative home news deliver, both through PaperRound and other tools, who can take on that customer.” Better Retailing understands independent stores have received hundreds of new customers through this arrangement.

Kennett also pledged: “Through PaperRound, we will develop an alternative to DeliverMyNewspaper, connecting customers with home news delivery providers, and we will be seeking publisher support for this initiative.”

The Fed confirmed to BetterRetailing that it had received no communication from publishers warning of the change.

Challenged on the suprise announcement, Tracey Hart, commercial director at News UK-owned Newsprinters told Better Retailing: “The Deliver My Newspaper website, which represented a number of news publishers, has been underutilised for some considerable time now, and therefore was no longer an effective method to drive news delivery sign up. In discussion with publishers we agreed to shutter the site and focus resources where we can see more benefit…

“Independent retailers remain at the heart of everything we do. And we continue to support HND Month, launched in October 2023, which has been positively received by independent retailers.” 

Fed head of news Brian Murphy reacted: “After the relative success of HND month late last year, this decision is baffling but also not unexpected. This will only further limit the support shown to smaller HND operations by publishers and the options open to consumers who want to shop locally.”

Glasgow HND agent and owner of rival online newspaper delivery ordering platform Rory O’Brien told RN: “I’m absolutely stunned. There’s been no communication with HND agents. I was shocked to discover national publishers have closed the website and are sending all new online customers directly to Newsteam Group, completely bypassing independent home delivery agents and wholesalers.”

O’Brien added explained: “We’ve made significant investments in Papers Direct and it is well placed to step in and protect the route for customers to go online and arrange news paper delivery from their preferred choice – independent newspaper delivery agents.”

BetterRetailing has contacted NewsUK for comment.