LONDON - Britain's Guardian newspaper relaunched as a tabloid on Monday (Jan 15) and also unveiled a new look for its digital editions, publisher Guardian News & Media said.

The print format change will generate significant savings and forms part of Guardian Media Group's three-year plan to break even at an operating level by April 2019, David Pemsel, CEO, Guardian Media Group, said in a statement on The Guardian's website.

Sister publication The Observer will launch as a tabloid on Sunday, Jan 21.

"Since we announced our plans to change format seven months ago, it's been an exhilarating period of creativity, imagination and focus, and I'm thrilled with the result: a new paper that feels bold, striking and beautiful, and still unmistakably The Guardian," said Katharine Viner, editor-in-chief, Guardian News & Media.

Mr Pemsel said the change to tabloid format will save several million pounds.

"The media sector remains challenging. However, our reader revenues are growing well, and more people are reading us than ever before - we now reach over 150 million unique browsers each month and we have over 800,000 supporters," he said.

"Our strategy to secure The Guardian's future is on track. By April 2018 we will have halved our operating losses in just two years, reducing them from £57m (S$103.5 million) to £25m per year, with the goal of breaking even in 2018/19," he added.

The Guardian was previously published in the European-style Berliner format, which is taller than a tabloid but narrower and shorter than a broadsheet. The format was introduced in 2005 and involved the investment of £80m, of which £50m was spent on new, state-of-the-art printing presses and £30m to build new print sites for them in London and Manchester, The Guardian said in 2009.

The Guardian said on Sunday it will be using new printing presses for the tabloid format.