Trinity Mirror is launching a daily online ‘deals’ platform across its national and regional newspaper brands.

The new site – www.happli.co.uk – has has already been piloted in Manchester and Newcastle and from today is being rolled out nationally.

It will showcase a daily selection of handpicked great value deals and experiences with customers encouraged to check prices, read reviews and share recommendations with friends via Facebook.

The move comes as annual results published today show profits at the group’s regional titles down 15.9pc from £43.4m in 2010 to £36.5m last year.

Today’s figures show that revenues in the regional division fell by 2.3pc year-on-year to stand at £293.6m.

However if revenues generated by the GMG Regional Media titles which were acquired during 2010 are excluded, like-for-like revenues were down 7.6pc year-on-year.

The company’s management report states: “Although we continue to experience year on year declines in circulation volumes we have seen an encouraging improvement in the rate of decline for a number of key paid-for titles during the year.

“Whilst we had limited cover price increases during the year, circulation revenues only fell by 0.5pc. Excluding GMG Regional Media, circulation revenue fell by 3.9pc. This compared to a decline of 9.8pc in the prior year.”

However advertising revenue fell more steeply, decreasing by 10.4pc if GMG revenues are excluded compared to a decline of 9.5pc the previous year.

Excluding the acquisition, display revenues were down 8.0pc, recruitment down 14.7pc, property down 6.2pc, motors down 13.5pc and other classified categories down 12.7pc.

The management statement also makes clear that cost reduction will continue across the group as a whole, with a further £15m of structural cost savings planned in 2012 on top of £120m over the past four years.

Commenting on this, Martin Shipton, chair of the NUJ Trinity Mirror group chapel, said: “The group has made it clear that it will continue the cost-cutting rampage that led to jobs being slashed and titles closed down.  Any further loss of journalists’ jobs will make it even more difficult for newspapers to provide their readers with the quality news coverage they deserve. ”

The launch of happli, which mirrors Northcliffe Digital’s launch of the Wowcher platform last year, is backed by a £10m investment with revenues forecast to reach £20m by 2014.

A digital management team – led by managing director Dave Raywood – is already in place and will report to Chris Ellis, managing director of Trinity Mirror Digital.

Said Dave: “We have listened carefully to customers and retailers and have developed a unique proposition, which we believe is clearly differentiated and with a customer experience that is second to none.

“Daily Deals are an increasingly important part of the marketing mix for SMEs and our deal partners will be working with them to craft promotional offers that showcase what they have to offer, delight consumers who buy them and work with the retailer to drive repeat visits and sales.”

The launch is being supported by a heavyweight advertising campaign across Trinity Mirror’s full portfolio, including full page ads in the Daily Mirror, Daily Record and relevant regional titles under the slogan “Live life. Live happli.”

Added Chris:  “happli is a new social commerce platform which delivers on both a local and national level. We are launching a well-thought-out proposition that works for consumers and retailers alike.”