Following on from the British Video Association’s predictions for a good fortnight of holiday shopping for videos, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is predicting that Christmas sales in Europe will deliver the first rise in full year home entertainment spending since 2004. Robert Price, UK Managing Director for Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment commented, “Demand for digital copies is rocketing, with access via Blu-ray proving the easiest and most popular way for shoppers to access movies for when they’re on the move.”
Titles and technology will coincide to contribute to this bumper Christmas, added Price: “All new Fox movies published in the UK come complete with a Digital Copy suitable for viewing on an iPad or Android tablet/phone and as a result of this added value, we’ve seen ownership of movies remaining strong in the UK, with 90% of those consuming movies in the home choosing to buy them."
Sales are being driven by Blu-ray growth in Europe up 49% in Q3 (42% in units). The UK and Germany are the largest international Blu-ray markets accounting for 10 million units sold in the year to date.
“Blu-ray is here to stay,” Price stressed. “One third of UK homes already have the box beneath their TV, and with prices on players tumbling to just £40 we’re expecting this Christmas to be a turning point for Home Entertainment with Rise of the Planet of the Apes set to achieve half of all sales on Blu-ray. Already X-Men: First Class, Fox’s most recent release, has seen Blu-ray take a 40% share of sales in UK.”
