Our Market

The Netherlands has a population of 16.7 million, and GDP grew by 1.7 per cent in 2010, but growth slowed down in 2011.

The newspaper (circulation and advertising) market in the Netherlands was estimated to be worth €1,359 million in 2010 and has declined 3 per cent since 2009. Print newspaper advertising is estimated to be worth €451 million in 2011 and constituted 9 per cent of the total advertising market. Newspaper advertising declined by 12 per cent in 2011 compared with 2010.

The paid-for newspapers circulation declined by an average of 2.9 per cent over the year, with the national dailies suffering the most (a decline of 3.3 per cent) and the regional paid-for dailies decreasing by 2.6 per cent in 2011.

There were no significant changes in the Dutch newspaper market in 2011. Besides Lux Media, the publishing house of NRC and nrc.next, there are three major operators in the Dutch market: Mecom, Telegraaf Media Group (“TMG”) and Persgroep Nederland. TMG is the market leader in the daily newspaper market with a 29 per cent share of the total newspaper market, including free daily newspapers. Mecom is second with a market share of 27 per cent of the total daily newspaper market. Persgroep has a 20 per cent market share. Mecom is the leader in the regional newspaper market with a 59 per cent share. The weekly free door-to-door newspaper market is fragmented, with Mecom the market leader with a 48 per cent share.

The Netherlands has one of the highest internet penetrations in Europe, reaching over 90 per cent of the population of which 84 per cent have access to broadband internet. Online advertising sales in the Netherlands were approximately €523 million in 2011 and is still growing, however the growth is slowly declining. Online’s share of total advertising in the Dutch market remained stable at 10 per cent.