A spokesman said that the paper was not up for sale, despite weekend reports that a sale document was currently being circulated among interested buyers. Weekend reports suggested that Trinity wanted to sell the paper but hang on to the printing and distribution rights.
The sale was thought to be the result of an internal review being conducted by Joe Sinyor, the former Sony and Dillons executive who joined Trinity Mirror 18 months ago, and management consultants McKinsey & Company.
Persistent reports have surfaced in recent months that Trinity Mirror was to sell the paper as its circulation, which has now fallen as low as 1.3m, continues to decline.
In recent months, Trinity has been repositioning the paper, which competes directly with its sister Sunday title the Sunday Mirror. For a long time, the positioning of the two Sunday tabloids was very close, but in recent months there has been a move to distinguish more clearly between the two. The Sunday Mirror, like its daily sister title, is moving more upmarket, while the People has been moved closer to its downmarket rival, the News of the World.
If Trinity does eventually go forward with the sale there are thought to be a number of potential buyers out there, including Express Newspapers owner Richard Desmond, who has previously approached Trinity with an offer but was turned down.
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