London Standard hurt by freesheet battle

The London Evening Standard suffered an 18% year-on-year drop in circulation in December as the effect of the capital's freesheet war continued to bruise the 50p paper.

Meanwhile London Lite, the freesheet from the Standard's owner, Associated Newspapers, narrowed the gap with The London Paper, its News International rival.

In the third full month of the London freesheet war, London Lite distributed an average 400,692 copies, its highest tally yet.

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