The ABC said in a statement: "Although no complaint had been received, due to the implications that these allegations may have on the certified distribution figures for London free newspapers, ABC has taken the decision to investigate and review the circumstances surrounding these incidents."
Distribution figures released by the ABC provide the UK media industry with an independent currency on where to buy and sell media.
The row between the freesheets started earlier this week when Associated Newspapers, publisher of the London Lite, released video evidence of three vendors of thelondonpaper dumping thousands of spare copies in bins near Barbican, St Paul's and Liverpool St, on three separate occasions in March.
This led thelondonpaper, published by News International, to launch an advertising campaign yesterday, which stated that it had sacked the three vendors involved and thanked the Evening Standard for its evidence.
However, the advert went on to attack the Evening Standard, stating that filming the vendors was a case of "crude propaganda". It highlighted the Evening Standard's drop in circulation figures and claimed Associated Newspapers had launched a "dirty tricks campaign", to destroy competition.
Thelondonpaper and the London Lite face more trouble next week, when they are due to meet Westminster City Council about the extra three to four tonnes of waste that the free newspapers create in the borough each day.
The Council plans to ban distribution of the papers in the city centre if the publishers do not significantly contribute to its £500,000 recycling plan.
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