Letter: Effect of predatory pricing on business and consumers

Sir: May I add my support to your paper's desire to preserve the quality of the press in this country in the face of an unparalleled price war designed, as you so rightly point out, to make cover price the only issue in selecting a daily newspaper ('An ugly battle for newspaper market dominance', 24 June).

Might I suggest, therefore, that your paper's campaign against the price of compact discs, which has centred only upon the cost of the finished product with no consideration of artist, orchestra, recording quality, accompanying notes or libretto or date of release, is somewhat at odds with your views on pricing policy in the press.

Low price CD's have long been displayed by newsagents alongside cheap tabloid (and now cheap broadsheet) newspapers. The discerning listener or reader must have their option to choose preserved.

Yours faithfully,

MARTIN J. GEALER

Kew, Surrey

24 June