Research published by the British Video Association, conducted by Kantar Worldpanel, shows the continuing importance of shopping in the high street to the video industry. The BVA revealed that more than half of Britain's video shoppers (57%) say they browse for video titles, both DVDs and Blu-ray Discs, when doing their grocery shopping - higher than for either music or games - and a quarter (25%) say that DVD/Blu-ray Discs selection is a factor in considering which grocery store to choose.

The popularity of internet shopping has certainly been embraced by video consumers, but nevertheless the research found that today 40% of video shoppers - 9.4 million people - buy discs both in-store and online, accounting for 67% of the physical retail market.

The BVA says this demonstrates that the internet and the high street can co-exist and thrive. Although the share of internet purchases is growing, accounting for 34.5% of disc sales in the 12 months to 9 June 2013, it is used mainly for planned purchases such as gifts, while shops account for 88% of impulse purchases, indicating that people buy discs as a treat for themselves or their families as they shop for other items.

Physical stores are shown to be important in generating incremental spend in the market. Impulse and browsed spend in stores was worth £482 million to the industry over the last 12 months (accounting for 37% of total video spend) according to Kantar Worldpanel.

"The role of high street video retailers and the supermarkets has become increasingly important to incremental sales in recent years because, unlike online shopping, people are more likely to browse in-store and enjoy doing so," comments Lavinia Carey, Director General of the BVA. "This research also demonstrates that DVD and Blu-ray Disc is vital to the retailers themselves, with people often choosing where to shop based on the range of titles available. Once again this panel data proves that whilst digital video services are increasing in value, the disc is still the preferred choice for millions of people every year."

Top ten impulse purchase DVD/BD titles (first six months 2013)

1. Skyfall (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment)
2. The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey (Warner Home Entertainment)
3. Les Misérables (Universal Pictures)
4. Taken 2 (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment)
5. Mrs Brown's Boys (Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd)
6. Doctor Who (BBC Worldwide Consumer Products)
7. Ted (Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd)
8. Argo (Warner Home Entertainment)
9. The Amazing Spider-Man (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
10. Brave (Walt Disney Company)

Source: Kantar Worldpanel 24 weeks data w/e 9 June 2013

Story filed 11.10.13