UK: BD software sales "surge" (1.5m discs in Dec, 400% growth YoY)

[Grubert]

Home entertainment market is "alive and kicking"

Despite the demise of Woolworths and Zavvi, the home entertainment market is "alive and kicking" according to statistics released by the British Video Association.

Using Official Charts Company data, the BVA, a trade body that helps promote the industry, says that despite the credit crunch, there's been a "surge" in the sales of Blu-ray discs.

1.5 million discs were sold in December, up almost 400% against the same period in 2007 - perhaps not surprising considering that HD DVD and the format war was still around a year ago.

The Dark Knight from Warner was the best selling Blu-ray title of the year with 281,000 copies sold while Mamma Mia! - The Movie from Universal did well on the DVD front, becoming the UK's fastest-selling DVD with over 3 million copies shifted in the first week.

We also know that UK sales in January-November 2008 were 2.2 million units. With that and other information from a previous press release, we have a more complete picture:

December 2007: 300,000 units
January-September 2008: 1,458,000 units (avg 162,000/month)
October 2008: 279,000 units
November 2008: 463,000 units
December 2008: 1,500,000 units

[Blu Titan]

Very positive news from the UK.

[Mr. Cinema]

I wonder how much of that December number was TDK?

[Grubert]

Originally Posted by Mr. Cinema

I wonder how much of that December number was TDK?

281,000 (per the article).

[plenipote]

Did I help their numbers by ordering Planet Earth from amazon.uk?
I'll probably help them out a little more by ordering The Island from there as well.

[dialog_gvf]

Wow, Blu-ray is on fire in the UK.

[Charles3669]

Originally Posted by plenipote

Did I help their numbers by ordering Planet Earth from amazon.uk?
I'll probably help them out a little more by ordering The Island from there as well.

I don't know if your helping them. I don't know how this works, but shouldn't this boost our US economy a bit? They are purchasing American films so the money is coming this way. Or am I wrong? By the way I live in El Paso too. Never thought I would see someone from El Paso on the forum.

[4K2K]

Originally Posted by Charles3669

I don't know if your helping them. I don't know how this works, but shouldn't this boost our US economy a bit? They are purchasing American films so the money is coming this way. Or am I wrong? By the way I live in El Paso too. Never thought I would see someone from El Paso on the forum.

Some of the best selling Blu-ray and DVD titles are filmed at least partly in the UK so some money must be coming to our country too (eg. The Dark Knight, Mamma Mia). Though I suppose nearly all of the money is going to the financers in the US?

[Charles3669]

Originally Posted by 4K2K

Some of the best selling Blu-ray and DVD titles are filmed at least partly in the UK so some money must be coming to our country too (eg. The Dark Knight, Mamma Mia). Though I suppose nearly all of the money is going to the financers in the US?

Well films are made all over the world. But since they are American movie studios most of the profit comes here. But it does create the opening of cinemas which people need to work in for jobs so I guess everybody gets something. But for the sale of blurays I think nearly all the cash goes to the studios with a small cut to the stores selling the bluray movies? Im not sure what the arrangements are from store to store between them and the studios or if there is a set standard.

[bluflu]

Originally Posted by Grubert

Home entertainment market is "alive and kicking"



We also know that UK sales in January-November 2008 were 2.2 million units. With that and other information from a previous press release, we have a more complete picture:

December 2007: 300,000 units
January-September 2008: 1,458,000 units (avg 162,000/month)
October 2008: 279,000 units
November 2008: 463,000 units
December 2008: 1,500,000 units

Sweeet!