DEGE: Home Entertainment Disc Sales Up in Europe

20 May, 2010 By: Chris Tribbey

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The European disc market (combining DVD and Blu-ray Disc) saw an overall sales increase of 2.3% to 1.5 billion euros ($1.9 billion) in the first quarter of 2010, compared with the same period in 2009, according DEGE: The Digital Entertainment Group Europe.

DVD and Blu-ray units sold in Europe grew 3.8% in the first quarter.

Blu-ray sales were responsible for most of the growth. First-quarter Blu-ray sales in Europe topped 151.4 million euros ($192.26 million), with more than 8.4 million Blu-ray units sold. DVD unit sales were up nearly 1% in the first quarter, but lower pricing pushed DVD revenue down 1.7% to 1.3 billion euros.

The data include sales in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Belgium, Sweden, Spain and the Netherlands. The data contrast with sellthrough spending in the United States during the first quarter, which was down 11% from the same period of 2009, according to DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group, though, as in Europe, Blu-ray experienced growth.

“Blu-ray has continued to ride the wave of success at the start of 2010 and it is promising to see consumers respond well to the format,” said Yves Caillaud, SVP of Warner Home Video Europe, Middle East and Africa, and chair of DEGE. “With the release of some of most popular films in cinematic history in the coming months, we expect to see Blu-ray sales continue to do well through the year.

“The industry is providing consumers with the most innovative and enjoyable home entertainment experiences, and we expect sales to increase as the penetration of HDTVs continues to accelerate.”

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