Physical media sales drop in run-up to summer

Fewer shoppers and a lack of big-name releases in music, film and gaming has resulted in the overall physical entertainment market declining by 19 per cent over the second quarter of the year, a report has claimed.

The bulk of physical media such as CDs or DVDs as opposed to digital downloads, came from the the gift market in the twelve weeks to June - boosted strongly by the £24 million worth of sales generated by Father’s Day over the preiod.

However, 13 per cent of gig-goers said they bought a physical CD after attending a live music concert, according to a report by market research firm Kantar.

Claire McClelland, consumer specialist at Kantar, said: “A new DVD, CD or game remains a fail-safe present for those dads who have everything. Physical video did particularly well from the Father’s Day this year – children picking up a favourite boxset or film for their fathers totalled £8.5 million worth of sales.”

Online retailers performed well again this quarter, with Amazon accounting for 25 per cent of all spend and growing share in each category.

Ms McClelland said: “Amazon and eBay are increasingly popular with shoppers wanting to get the latest releases without leaving their homes – particularly if a traditional retailer has disappeared from their local high street.

"The summer festival season is now in full swing and retailers will be hoping the music events translate into spend at the tills in the coming weeks. In the past year, half of all festival or concert goers reported an instant impact on their listening habits while a third said the occasion re-ignited their love for an album or artist. Crucially, 13 per cent went out to pick up a physical CD of the artist.”

Going up against the hugely successful release of the Greatest Showman this time last year, fewer new titles this period accounted for £22 million of the physical video market’s losses. The most popular release this period, Aquaman, attracted 360,000 buyers– compared to the Greatest Showman’s 800,000 buyers.

Overall sales fell 28 per cent as the market also felt the effects of HMV store closures, but 4k DVDs showed resilience and achieved one per cent growth.