The Digital Entertainment Group’s 3rd quarter 2011 figures reveal that home entertainment spending rose 5% - the first increase since 2008’s first quarter when recession was taking hold. The number of US Blu-ray homes (including BD settops, PS3s and HTiBs) jumps 52% from the same period last year to 33.5 million.

Blu-ray Disc and EST continued their steady gains with consumer spending on Blu-ray sell-through up an impressive 58% and EST up nearly 13% compared to the same period last year.

Of note, for major box-office hits, sales of packaged goods often surpass 50% on Blu- ray in their first week of release.

Catalogue Blu-ray sales are also on the rise, with year-to-date increases of more than 60%, led by the strong sales of popular classics such as Star Wars, Citizen Kane, Scarface and The Big Lebowski, among others.

DEG says these results mark the continued stabilisation of the industry, underscored by significant gains in Blu-ray Disc and solid increases in electronic sell- through (EST) spending. “This growth reflects an encouraging shift in the marketplace as we head into the all-important fourth quarter.”

Story filed 10.11.11