High pick-up rate French frees
In the first three months of 2009, French auditing organization OJD measured the pick-up rate of all French free dailies and some weeklies. Two dozen free dailies (including the different local editons) were audited.
With very few exceptions, the pick-up rate is above 95% and in many cases even above 99%. Both Metro and 20 Minutes in Paris – the two largest free editions in France – have a pick-up rate of more than 99% in all months.
Direct Matin Plus and Direct Matin perform somewhat less but even those have less than 5% of their copies not picked up. (From a personal experience last week: after 9:00 only Direct Matin is available in Paris.)
The report, which can be downloaded from the OJD website, also distinguishes between ways of distribution: handing out, racks and third party distribution.