Circulation of daily newspapers in Germany 1991-2022

Daily newspaper circulation in Germany amounted to 12.3 million copies in 2021. Figures have been decreasing year after year in the last decade alone, a fact facing print media around the world, not just in Europe. For comparison, in 1991, German daily newspapers totaled 27.3 million copies in circulation.

National dailies

Germany counts various national daily newspapers among its print media, which are well-known among the population and still referenced, quoted, discussed, even if not as often as before. The leading tabloid in the country, the Bild Zeitung or simply Bild, sold almost 1.19 million copies in the third quarter of 2022. Further behind were the renowned Süddeutsche Zeitung and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ). This ranking was the same for national daily newspaper reach in Germany.

Digital challenges

A rising number of German households did not subscribe to a daily newspaper. The spread of internet access and mobile device use have influenced and changed consumer behavior regarding media content. One example being that it is easier to take a smartphone and browse on a newspaper website, also on the go, then buy, fold, unfold and carry around a newspaper. These are challenges the newspaper industry is facing long-term, as mobile and online media consumption increasingly becomes the norm.