A group representing 1,500 newsagents has criticised the Daily Mail group in Ireland for not including free CDs and DVDs in copies of the paper distributed to them during the week.

The Daily Mail group - which now has daily and Sunday Irish editions - said it was not economical to include CDs or DVDs in every copy and the giveaways were redeemable at Dunnes Stores, Tesco and Easons outlets or by post. It said the method for redeeming CDs or DVDs was clearly set out in each edition of the paper.

This position has been strongly criticised by the Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association (CSNA). Its chief executive Vincent Jennings said an agreement was in place for distribution of the CDs to newsagents with Associated Newspapers, which owns the Mail titles, but it was not being followed.

He said sales were being hit at newsagents because consumers were no longer buying the paper there, but switching to the bigger multiples which had the CDs and DVDs available immediately.

In a letter sent to the circulation manager of Associated Newspapers, Mr Jennings said the giveaway material was continuing to go to only "selected outlets" and newsagents could not "continue to discommode our customers by forcing them to obtain these discs elsewhere".

"We will not continue to send our customers away empty handed towards post offices or multiple outlets. We believe that the Mail and Sunday Mail (Irish) have a future in this country - whether it is in the majority of news outlets, or in Mail-appointed multiples remains to be seen."

In response, Associated Newspapers said while it was possible to polywrap CDs and DVDs with the Sunday edition, it was not possible to do this with the daily paper, particularly when promotions were often carried over several days as the costs were too prohibitive. However, the CSNA said other daily newspapers had managed to distribute promotional materials directly with their papers into newsagents.