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Seven organisations were represented in the visit to hand-deliver documents to the OFT's office, as the supply chain maintained the united front built over the months since the OFT gave its first indication that it believed the current system of magazine distribution is unlawful.

In addition, Mayor of London Ken Livingstone and former government minister Lord Heseltine, chairman of Brand Republic publisher Haymarket, have weighed in against the OFT's decision.

The coalition's hope is that the OFT's board and chairman Sir John Vickers will reconsider the draft opinion set out by the OFT case team, which has investigated the magazine and newspaper distribution market.

The presentation yesterday of their arguments in hard copy is effectively the last chance to influence the OFT before it issues its final and binding opinion, which is expected to happen by the end of the month.

As things stand, the OFT has declared illegal the current system by which wholesalers do not compete to supply magazines and newspapers but each "own" particular territories, to which they are obliged to supply any title a retailer requests.

The OFT case team has decided that retailers should be allowed to go to any wholesaler for magazines, while the status quo should still apply to newspapers because it is in the public interest for them to be distributed speedily.

The opposition fears that the loss of exclusivity will benefit large retailers, such as the supermarkets, and that separating the distribution of magazines and newspapers will push up costs for small retailers, such as independent newsagents, and make it too expensive for them to stock a wide range of specialist magazines.

Livingstone is concerned that 1,000 of London's 4,600 independent retailers will be affected.

"These proposals by the OFT are a direct threat to cornershops and to small and independent magazines, as London's choice of diverse publications will be lost," he said.

Also against the draft opinion is the National Federation of Retail Newsagents, representing 20,000 shops.

Peter Wagg, former president of the federation, said: "There are plenty of differences between retailers and publishers that we would have liked the OFT to address but we agree on one thing: as the OFT opinion stands it would lead to disaster."

Lord Heseltine and Periodical Publishers Association chief executive Ian Locks have criticised the OFT case team's understanding of the issues and responsiveness to the magazine industry's objections in letters to the OFT's board. Lord Heseltine's letter has also been sent to Prime Minister Tony Blair, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and culture secretary Tessa Jowell.

The coalition has also enjoyed a degree of support from the newspaper industry, which it claims is also concerned by a potential increase in costs from separated magazine and newspaper distribution.

Regional newspaper publisher's body, The Newspaper Society, sent a message of support from director David Newell.

"I hope the OFT will rethink and consider industry representations, including the Newpaper Society evidence on the potential impact on regional newspapers and their readers," he said.

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