Under the new contracts, Smiths News has been appointed as the exclusive national wholesale distributor for Frontline and Seymour Distribution titles across all of Great Britain, effective from April 2030. In addition, both contracts have been extended through to April 2037, providing long-term certainty for all parties and reinforcing Smiths News position as a trusted distribution partner to the publishing industry.

Combined, the Frontline and Seymour portfolios account for over 60% of the UK magazine market. The expanded scope and duration of the contracts not only provide Smiths News with enhanced visibility of future volumes and increased commercial certainty but also reinforces their position as a trusted customer service partner. This long-term commitment enables the continued investment in service excellence, operational capability and customer-focused solutions.

These latest contract awards follow the previously announced agreements with News UK and Associated Newspapers in June 2026. Collectively, the four contract wins represent a significant milestone for the business and taking all four contract awards together, Smiths News has now successfully secured a substantial long-term volume base of the national newspapers and magazines market.

As previously communicated, delivery of these contracts will be supported by the establishment of an expanded national footprint, enabling Smiths News to provide resilient, efficient and scalable distribution services to publishers and retailers across the country.

Jonathan Bunting, Chief Executive Officer of Smiths News, commented:
“We are delighted to announce our new contracts with both Frontline and Seymour, further reinforcing our long-term partnership with publishers and distributors, which ultimately maintains great service for millions of consumers across the UK.

“The new contracts continue to reinforce the importance of the printed magazine market which our business model has successfully evolved to support, building a sustainable, efficient and resilient route to market for the magazine category, while maintaining service continuity for publishers and retailers.”

Frank Straetmans, Chief Executive Officer of Frontline Group, commented:
“Our objective throughout this contract review process has been to identify the solution that best supports the long-term interests of publishers, retailers and consumers.

“We believe these agreements provide the right foundation for an efficient, sustainable and resilient route to market for the magazine category for many years to come.”