The newsagent supplier representatives who spread gossip as they go from newsagency to newsagency discredit their employers, those they gossip about and newsagents more broadly.
I heard of gossip last week that was not based in fact and was spread for the purpose of personal profit, with no regard to the reputations of those who were the topic of the gossip.
While I am sure that suppliers tell their field force to not gossip, it goes on and damage is done.
Those most often guilty of gossiping are those who visit newsagencies in a regular cycle and thereby develop a deeper relationship with newsagents and their staff. Through their weekly cycle, gossip can spread like a virus.
For what it’s worth, the best response when a supplier representative says something about another supplier or a person is to ask them to prove it. Of course, this is often not done because people do enjoy a bit of gossip … unfortunately.