The total British video market remained buoyant in 2014. Total spending was just under £2.2bn, similar to in 2013. Digital continues to boost the video entertainment market with a 30% growth in 2014.

Buying videos to own and keep is overwhelmingly the preferred choice for consumers representing two thirds of all video spend. Total retail sales were £1.43bn in 2014 with DVDs and Blu-rays accounting for 89% of spend, the balance being consumers boosting video disc collections with Digital HD downloads.

Video rentals and subscriptions accounted for one third of consumer spending. Total rentals and subscriptions were estimated to be £755m in 2014 with pay TV on-demand and internet subscription services accounting for 81% of rentals, the balance being disc rentals.

Some 22 million people in Great Britain bought a video to own on DVD, Blu-ray or as a Digital HD download during the year, more than those that visited the cinema (16 million). Meanwhile 7.5 million people rented a video, according to shopping analysts Kantar Worldpanel.

Four titles sold more than one million copies during 2014. Walt Disney Studio's Frozen became the biggest title this decade with sales of 4 million copies on DVD and Blu-ray disc whilst The Hobbit - The Desolation Of Smaug and The Lego Movie, both from Warner Bros, and The Hunger Games - Catching Fire, from Lionsgate, each sold more than one million copies during 2014.

"Video is as popular as it has ever been despite competition for consumers' time and money," Liz Bales, Chief Executive of the BVA, commented on the just-released figures. "Research shows that video discs represent an emotional purchase and form of owning content that can be enjoyed again and again. Shoppers are choosing new ways to buy such as Digital HD downloads and renting on demand, but these figures show that DVDs and Blu-rays are still the most popular way to watch and own video."

"Digital consumption of video continues to grow at a prodigious rate in the UK, not least of these channels is digital retail (EST)," Richard Cooper, Head of Video Analysis at IHS added. "Thanks to industry initiatives such as early releasing (Digital HD), the platform has maintained an impressive growth rate, forecast at 25% in 2014."

Story filed 06.01.15