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Air Force spouse Valerie Sheaffer reads a notice in the Vogelweh commissary on Tuesday informing customers that, after January of next year, all commissaries overseas will no longer sell magazines and most newspapers. Commissary officials say the move is an effort to save money in the face of dwindling magazine sales.

Air Force spouse Valerie Sheaffer reads a notice in the Vogelweh commissary on Tuesday informing customers that, after January of next year, all commissaries overseas will no longer sell magazines and most newspapers. Commissary officials say the move is an effort to save money in the face of dwindling magazine sales. (Jennifer Svan/Stars and Stripes)

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — Starting in February, commissaries overseas will stop carrying magazines and most newspapers due to declining sales and the expense of airlifting the periodicals from the States, Defense Commissary Agency officials said this week.

Commissaries in the United States will continue to sell magazines and newspapers, officials said. Overseas, those items will still be available at Army and Air Force Exchange Service retail stores.

Over the last four years, magazine sales at overseas commissaries have steadily dwindled, from about $1.98 million in fiscal 2008 to about $1.46 million in fiscal 2011, according to information from DeCA. That is due in part to DeCA purchasing fewer magazines, but stores still only were selling about half the magazine inventory, said Kevin Robinson, a DeCA spokesman at the agency's corporate headquarters in Fort Lee, Va. Between January and March of last year, for example, 49 percent of magazines on commissary shelves overseas went unsold, according to DeCA.

"No business model in the world could survive" with that type of sales rate, Robinson said.

DeCA was also spending over half a million dollars on getting the magazines overseas, officials said. In fiscal 2011, DeCA spent about $673,000 in taxpayer dollars — money appropriated by Congress — to airlift magazines to commissaries in Europe and the Pacific, according to figures from DeCA.

With budget cuts looming across the Defense Department, agencies are scrambling to find ways to cut costs. While stopping magazine sales overseas will save money, Robinson said, it's also a decision that makes good business sense "regardless of the budget climate."

"DeCA recognizes that it has an inherent responsibility to be a good steward of taxpayer dollars," he said in a written statement.

"This was something we could do as an agency to drive down our costs and not impact the customer as much," added Leslie Brown, DeCA-Europe spokeswoman. She said customers can read magazines online or purchase them at the base exchange.

Customers shopping at the Vogelweh commissary near Kaiserslautern on Tuesday said being able to buy magazines with their groceries was convenient, but something they could live without.

"I used to buy a lot of magazines (at the commissary) but stopped about three years ago," said Air Force spouse Niki Gould. "You can see everything online. It's kind of a waste of $5 or more, depending on the magazine."

Commissaries in Europe and the Pacific will continue to sell Stars and Stripes newspaper, which is published overseas and not shipped from the States, officials said.

svanj@estripes.osd.mil

Air Force spouse Valerie Sheaffer reads a notice in the Vogelweh commissary on Tuesday informing customers that, after January of next year, all commissaries overseas will no longer sell magazines and most newspapers. Commissary officials say the move is an effort to save money in the face of dwindling magazine sales.

Air Force spouse Valerie Sheaffer reads a notice in the Vogelweh commissary on Tuesday informing customers that, after January of next year, all commissaries overseas will no longer sell magazines and most newspapers. Commissary officials say the move is an effort to save money in the face of dwindling magazine sales. (Jennifer Svan/Stars and Stripes)

Starting in February, commissaries overseas will discontinue all magazine and most newspaper sales. Commissary officials cite declining magazine sales and increasing transportation costs to airlift magazines from the States for the decision.

Starting in February, commissaries overseas will discontinue all magazine and most newspaper sales. Commissary officials cite declining magazine sales and increasing transportation costs to airlift magazines from the States for the decision. (Jennifer Svan/Stars and Stripes)

Starting in February, commissaries overseas will discontinue all magazine and most newspaper sales. Commissary officials cite declining magazine sales and increasing transportation costs to airlift magazines from the States for the decision.

Starting in February, commissaries overseas will discontinue all magazine and most newspaper sales. Commissary officials cite declining magazine sales and increasing transportation costs to airlift magazines from the States for the decision. (Jennifer Svan/Stars and Stripes)

A notice posted at a checkout aisle in the Vogelweh commissary informs customers that magazines and most newspapers will no longer be sold in commissaries overseas starting in February. Commissary officials say the move is an effort to save money in the face of declining magazine sales.

A notice posted at a checkout aisle in the Vogelweh commissary informs customers that magazines and most newspapers will no longer be sold in commissaries overseas starting in February. Commissary officials say the move is an effort to save money in the face of declining magazine sales. (Jennifer Svan/Stars and Stripes)

Customer Siri Thomter stands in front of a magazine rack while waiting to check out at the Vogelweh commissary near Kaierslautern, Germany, on Tuesday. Starting in February, magazines and most newspapers will be cleared from check-out aisles at all commissaries in Europe and the Pacific, as the stores will no longer sell them, a decision being driven by declining sales and increased transportation costs.

Customer Siri Thomter stands in front of a magazine rack while waiting to check out at the Vogelweh commissary near Kaierslautern, Germany, on Tuesday. Starting in February, magazines and most newspapers will be cleared from check-out aisles at all commissaries in Europe and the Pacific, as the stores will no longer sell them, a decision being driven by declining sales and increased transportation costs. (Jennifer Svan/Stars and Stripes)

author picture
Jennifer reports on the U.S. military from Kaiserslautern, Germany, where she writes about the Air Force, Army and DODEA schools. She’s had previous assignments for Stars and Stripes in Japan, reporting from Yokota and Misawa air bases. Before Stripes, she worked for daily newspapers in Wyoming and Colorado. She’s a graduate of the College of William and Mary in Virginia.

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