Both retailers and those within the industry, such as DVD replication firms received a boost towards the end of the year, thanks to a significant rise in the sales of Blu-ray and DVD copies of films. According to the latest figures issued by the British Video Association, Blu-ray and DVD sales rose by 8.4 percent compared to the previous year, producing a total of £473.3 million.
The rise in sales has been attributed to the home cinema release of a number of films which had been smash cinema hits, for the Christmas market. The festive season traditionally represents perhaps the most important period for everyone connected with the home entertainment market – from retailers to DVD replication companies – and 2011 proved no exception to this, with the sales during December accounting for 23 percent of total Blu-ray and DVD sales for the year.
Furthermore, the list of films which sold the highest number of Blu-ray and DVD copies during 2011 included an impressive number of home-grown titles, such as the two-part Deathly Hallows conclusion to the Harry Potter franchise, The King’s Speech and The Inbetweeners. Outside of film releases, the best sellers list also included the latest live comedy release by comedian Peter Kay, further adding to the British flavour of the top sellers. DVD remains the most popular format amongst British consumers, with an overall 6 percent rise in value on that of the previous year coupled with an 87 percent share of total sales across physical formats.