- We focus on the MarketForce report on International Trading with South Africa showing itself as a bright spot of growth.
- There is a key shift in consumer interests from entertainment to lifestyle and knowledge, making Leisure and News & History the key drivers of Marketforce’s future growth.
- New growth opportunities are Bookazine Series, Colouring Titles, Local Language Editions.
- We end off with a case study how Marketforce successfully launched and scaled Bookazines in South African grocery and bookstore channels, generating R4 million in additional RSV
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International News
International Trading
Globally, Marketforce exports are stable but slowing, while South Africa is the fastestgrowing export territory, delivering +23% RSV growth and emerging as a key strategic success story in Marketforce’s international trade network.
Overall, most markets are declining slightly, indicating that global consumer demand or export conditions have softened, yet Marketforce is still maintaining leadership and improving efficiency.
South Africa is the bright spot, offsetting declines in larger markets like North America and Europe.
International Trading
Marketforce is outperforming global export trends.
Despite overall export declines, Marketforce’s international business remains
resilient, with 23% of export markets growing year-on-year.
Exports are under pressure globally:
Export supply: ▼6%
Export sales: ▼8.5%
Export RSV (Retail Sales Value): ▼8.1%
Export S/E (Sales-to-Export ratio): ▲31% (efficiency improving despite lower volumes).
Third-party publishers (TPPs) are a key growth driver — they’re seeing strong yearon-
year revenue gains, especially among certain UK clients (some up 47%).
Regional performance is mixed:
North America: 39% RSV share but ↓14% year-on-year.
Australasia: 32% RSV share but ↓3.8%.
Europe: 18% RSV share, ↓7%.
Asia: 4.5% RSV share, ↓17%.
South Africa Summary
South Africa stands out as the only export region showing strong growth, with: RSV share: 6.4%
Marketforce performance: +23% year-on-year
This growth contrasts sharply with the global downturn, suggesting: Stronger retail partnerships or improved local distribution performance.
Possibly more effective pricing, product mix, or channel strategy in the region.
South Africa is becoming an increasingly important export market within Marketforce’s international portfolio.
Leisure Interests has overtaken Music as Marketforce’s top-performing global sector.
This marks a key shift in consumer interest and retail performance across Marketforce’s global magazine and publishing portfolio.
Summary
Leisure Interests has overtaken Music as Marketforce’s top-performing sector, driven by strong growth in Health, Wellness, and Lifestyle titles (+9% YoY).
Music revenue dropped 32%, mainly due to fewer Taylor Swift products, showing the risk of relying on celebrity-driven content.
Other sectors were mixed: Computing up 10%, while Crafts, Women’s Lifestyle, and General Interest declined.
Overall, consumer focus is shifting from entertainment to lifestyle and knowledge, making Leisure and News & History the key drivers of Marketforce’s future growth.
Marketforce’s Top 20 titles anchor the business, while new growth comes from Bookazine, Colouring, and Local Language lines — blending strong heritage brands with innovative, niche, and international formats to secure long-term revenue stability.
Summary
Marketforce’s Top 20 titles generate £8.5M in retail revenue, with the core portfolio contributing £18.1M (60% of RSV).
Established titles like Woman’s Weekly, Wallpaper, and Country Life remain strong, while growth is driven by:
- Bookazine Series – trending, high-value formats.
- Colouring Titles – steady niche sales in grocery and travel.
- Local Language Editions – expanding reach in non-English markets.
Together, these segments balance heritage stability with new growth opportunities.
Case Study
This slide showcases how Marketforce successfully launched and scaled Bookazines in South African grocery and bookstore channels, generating R4 million in additional RSV (retail sales value).
Performance Summary
Bookazine sector slots added R4 million RSV in South Africa, led by Food & Drink (R1.3m), Craft & Hobbies (R1.02m), and Health (R918k). These lifestyle-driven titles show strong consumer demand in grocery retail.
Why It Worked
Data-led ranging based on global demand.
Placement in key retailers – Pick n Pay, SPAR, Woolworths, Exclusive Books.
Targeted distribution with high sell-through (up to 68% s/e).
Smart product selection and pricing suited to local shoppers.
Proven results prompting retailers to expand Bookazine listings.
Strategic Takeaway
Marketforce created a scalable retail model for premium, niche Bookazines by using dataled retail partnerships, smart pricing, and selective distribution — proving that with the right insight, even complex markets like South Africa’s grocery sector can deliver strong growth.
Source MarketForce
