Cancel Bauer Consumer Media the easy way

Overview

Bauer Consumer Media is a UK magazine and consumer media publisher operating print and digital subscriptions for titles ranging from weekly celebrity and lifestyle magazines to specialist hobby titles. The UK business is part of the Heinrich Bauer group and manages many subscription offers and special promotions for its title portfolio.

What they sell

Bauer distributes subscription plans that are often sold as 12-month offers, single-issue purchases, or trial promotions. Pricing for titles varies; examples include Angling Times at £7.08 per month or £84.99 per year and Bella at £4.17 per month or £49.99 per year.

Company facts

More background is available from Bauer's own pages: About Bauer Consumer Media and subscription details are published at Bauer magazine subscriptions.

Web (subscription portal)

1. Go to Bauer magazine subscriptions page at Bauer magazine subscriptions.
2. Log in to your subscription account if you created one at point of purchase.
3. Find the subscription and request cancellation following on-screen prompts.
4. Save or screenshot any on-screen confirmation; if no confirmation appears, follow up by phone or registered post.

iOS (Apple subscriptions)

1. Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap your name, then Subscriptions.
3. Find the magazine subscription and tap Cancel Subscription.
4. Keep the Apple receipt as proof of cancellation.

Android (Google Play)

1. Open Google Play Store on your device.
2. Tap your profile, then Payments and subscriptions, then Subscriptions.
3. Select the subscription and tap Cancel subscription.
4. Save the Google Play confirmation email.

Phone

1. Call Bauer Consumer Media support (phone number not publicly published by Bauer Consumer Media).
2. Provide your name, subscription title, address and order number.
3. Ask for a cancellation reference number and for written confirmation by email or post.
4. Record date and time of call and the agent name if provided.

Email

1. Send an email to [email protected] with subject "Cancel subscription" and include your full name, address, subscription title and order number.
2. Request written confirmation of cancellation and a final invoice showing any refund due.
3. If you receive no reply within 14 days, follow up by phone or send a registered letter.

Post (registered letter)

1. Write a clear cancellation letter with your name, address, subscription title and order number and the date you want cancellation to take effect.
2. Send it by registered post to: Bauer Consumer Media, Media House, Peterborough Business Park, Lynch Wood, PE2 6EA Peterborough, United Kingdom.
3. Keep the Royal Mail registered receipt and a copy of the letter for your records.

Cooling-off (change of mind within 14 days)

If you bought a magazine subscription online, by phone or by mail order you have a 14 day cooling-off period under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. To obtain a full refund, notify Bauer of cancellation within 14 days of the contract conclusion or delivery. Refunds must be issued within 14 days of the trader being informed. See Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.

Required proof: order confirmation, payment receipt, and written notice of cancellation.

Price increase

If your subscription is increased mid-contract and the price rise is not permitted by your contract terms, you may have the right to terminate. The exact entitlement depends on your contract wording and the Consumer Rights Act 2015 for fairness of contract terms. Bauer-specific acceptance of price-increase cancellations is not publicly published.

Required proof: copy of original terms, notice of price increase from Bauer, payment receipts.

Death of subscriber

If the named subscriber dies, most publishers accept cancellation on production of a death certificate. Bauer Consumer Media's published stance on this specific ground is not publicly disclosed, but standard practice is to provide a copy of the death certificate and the order number for the subscription.

Required proof: death certificate, proof of relationship or executor authority.

Moving abroad

Moving to an address outside the delivery area can be a reason to end a print subscription. Bauer has not published a definitive list of acceptable grounds for cancellation in this scenario. Provide evidence: forwarding confirmation, new address and the subscription details.

Applicable law: Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 where relevant to online contracts.

End of commitment

If your subscription term ends (for example a 12 month commitment) you must give the notice period required in the contract - most titles require 30 to 60 days notice before renewal. If you contact Bauer within the period required and provide the correct details, they must process the request according to the contract terms.

Required proof: original contract or order confirmation showing term length.

Before you cancel: negotiating retention

Reports and reviews do not show public, consistently available retention offers from Bauer Consumer Media. There are no reliable reports of standard discounts or retention credits in the research data. If you want to try negotiating, call and say you want to cancel and ask if they can offer a discount, extended trial or transfer to a different title. Example script: "I want to cancel subscription order number X. If you can offer a discount or transfer to another title for a lower price I will consider staying." Keep any offer in writing.

What cancelling saves you - example maths

Use the actual advertised prices and multiply monthly by 12 to compare with annual offers. Examples from Bauer pricing:

• Angling Times: £7.08 x 12 = £84.96 per year. (Annual price listed: £84.99)
• Bella: £4.17 x 12 = £50.04 per year. (Annual price listed: £49.99)
• Bike: £5.00 x 12 = £60.00 per year. (Annual price listed: £59.99)
• Grazia: £6.25 x 12 = £75.00 per year. (Annual price listed: £74.99)
• Food To Love single issue: £3.99 per issue

Cheapest practical alternative: digital magazine aggregators often charge a single monthly fee for many titles. For example a multi-title digital service can cost around £7.99 per month which is £7.99 x 12 = £95.88 per year. If your current annual cost is higher than £95.88, switching to a digital aggregator may save money; compare titles carefully.

Your statutory cooling-off rights

For online, phone or mail-order magazine subscriptions you have a 14 day cooling-off period under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. If you cancel within 14 days you are entitled to a full refund of payments made, subject to the limited exceptions in the Regulations. See the text at Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.

Fair contract terms and refunds

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires contract terms to be fair and for services to be performed with reasonable care and skill. Excessive cancellation penalties or unclear auto-renewal representations may be unenforceable. If a trader fails to provide required cancellation information, the cancellation period can be extended by up to 12 months under the 2013 Regulations.

Escalation steps

1) Complain to Bauer Consumer Media in writing (email or registered post). 2) If unresolved, get advice from Citizens Advice: Citizens Advice - cancelling a service. 3) Use payment remedies: ask your card issuer for a chargeback or, for qualifying card payments over £100, consider Section 75. 4) If you suspect unfair terms or persistent problems with cancellations or auto-renewals, complain to the Competition and Markets Authority or use a relevant ombudsman if the subscription falls in a regulated sector.

Recent statutory note on cooling-off

UK law was updated reaffirming cooling-off rights in 2024; see the government summary at Cooling-off rights 2024 legislation.

Check final deliveries and billing

After cancellation, confirm the date when delivery or billing stops. If you cancelled within the 14 day cooling-off period you are entitled to a full refund. For cancellations after 14 days you may receive a pro-rata refund for undelivered issues; Bauer may deduct an administration fee but any such deduction must be transparent in your final invoice.

Access to digital content and data

If you had a digital subscription, check whether access ends immediately or at the end of the billing period. Request a copy of any personal data held about you and an account closure confirmation. Use the support email [email protected] to request data deletion after cancellation.

If you do not get the refund you expect

If you have cancelled within your statutory rights and were refused a refund, escalate: demand a final written response, then contact Citizens Advice for next steps and consider chargeback via your card issuer or Section 75 where eligible.

Use this checklist to make your cancellation effective and defensible:

• Find your order confirmation and subscription reference number.
• Decide your cancellation method: phone is fastest; email and post leave written traces.
• If you email, send to [email protected] and request written confirmation.
• If you post, use registered post to Bauer Consumer Media, Media House, Peterborough Business Park, Lynch Wood, PE2 6EA Peterborough, United Kingdom and keep the receipt.
• Record dates, times and any agent names when you call.
• Keep screenshots of the subscription portal or error messages if the portal is down.
• If cancelling within 14 days, state you are exercising your Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 cooling-off right and request a full refund.
• If you do not receive confirmation within 14 days, escalate to Citizens Advice and your card issuer for chargeback.