The Big Issue is a street newspaper founded in 1991 that provides employment opportunities for homeless people in the UK. It has a circulation of 82,000 and is sold by over 6,000 registered vendors each week. The vendors buy the magazines from The Big Issue for £1.25 each and then sell them for £2.50, using the profit to support themselves while also providing income to the organization. The magazine focuses on current affairs and entertainment and is recognizable for being sold prominently in public places like streets and transit stations.

1. THE BIG ISSUE
MAGAZINE RESEARCH

2. Facts and Statistics
■ The Big Issuestreet newspaper was founded in 1991 by John Bird and Gordon
Roddick.
■ published weekly by Dennis publishing
■ price £2.50
■ circulation, 82,000 readership
■ genre: independent, current affairs, street magazine, entertainment
■ target group: a culturally engaged and socially aware audience

3. Helping the Homeless
■ the Big Issueis "a hand up not a hand out" and is recognised as a trusted magazine
in the UK. it is an award winning magazine offering employment opportunities to
people in poverty, driving social change.
Distribution system
■ The Big Issue -> Vendors -> Consumers and general public
■ the big issue will send vendors the first 10 magazines for free and after selling
those, they must buy the magazine for £1.25 providing income for the Big Issue as
well as profit from themselves selling them for £2.50.
■ the magazine is then sold typically in high streets and can be commonly bought
elsewheresuch as; tube stations, crowdedplaces, entrances of grocery shops.

4. Vendor Profile
■ 6000 registered in UK, 1000 in Ireland
■ 80-90% are men
■ homeless
■ most common cause of homelessnessis relationship breakdown
■ age range between 18-46+, main group 26-35 year olds
■ sell 250,000 each week

5. The Product
■ High visibility
■ visible and recognisable brand title
■ sold predominantly in the street
■ books, film and tv reviews, entertainments, financial testimonies, personal life
stories
■ Cover stars mainly of relevant issues or contemporaryartists including arctic
monkeys, morisseyetc