Newsquest has become the first of the four biggest UK regional publishing groups to remove bulk copies from the audited figures of its entire newspaper portfolio.

The January to June ABC figures record 100 per cent actively purchased copies for all of the group's daily and weekly newspapers.

The group, which publishes more than 300 titles including 17 dailies, said the move had been achieved speedily and effectively, without a significant fall in sales.

Howard Scott (right), group newspaper sales director for Newsquest, said: "The number of multiple copies being recorded previously was not high and it was simple commercial sense to remove them entirely.

"This has been achieved within the last 12 months without a significant negative impact on the figures.

"Advertisers and agencies can now view any Newsquest titles sales and readership figures on a completely actively purchased basis, something we know they welcome."

The Audit Bureau Circulations data for January to June this year shows that more than 99 per cent of the industry's total circulation is now actively purchased, with nearly 80 per cent of regional newspapers posting 100 per cent actively purchased circulation figures compared with 65 per cent in 2003.