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The first time have led to significant lifts across the industry being highlighted for all but one title (Daily Star) in April.

The Guardian more than doubles its weekday circulation, from 178,000 to 377,000 copies on a Saturday. The Daily Mail also sells nearly a million more copies on a Saturday (1.7 million rising to 2.7 million).

In total, more than an additional two million newspapers are sold every Saturday to total 10.4 million, while ad pages are also boosted industry-wide by additional retail spend. 

Over the last 10 years, Saturday editions have filled out to now rival the Sunday stalwarts. The Guardian's then managing director, .

He said: "You have to keep your eye firmly on what the consumer is doing. And what the consumer is doing increasingly Monday to Friday, is losing the habit of buying a newspaper. The reasons for that are many, and they are not reversible, certainly not by an individual publisher.

"Weekends are different. People view newspaper reading at the weekend, partly at least as a reward to themselves at the end of a busy week, and they enjoy the amplitude of print at the weekend."

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