DEG Europe, the pan-industry body to promote DVD and HD formats to consumers and trade across Europe, has revealed that the DVD industry remains buoyant in Europe and continues to go from strength to strength throughout 2007.

Having had a bumper summer season with high profile releases in the cinemas, DVD sales are expected to be on track to achieve year-on-year growth and a record fourth quarter as these films are released in time for Christmas.

According to DEG Europe, and based on GfK and OCC/Nielsen tracking, it is predicted that sales volumes will have hit 8% growth by the end of 2007 and the overall market value is set to grow by 0.6 per cent in 2007. Analysis for January to June 2007 shows that sales volumes have soared by 5.7% compared to 3% in 2006. Forecasts from Screen Digest indicate that 31.5 million DVD players and/or recorders will have been sold throughout Europe in 2007, representing a growth of 3.4% over the number sold in 2006.

Yves Caillaud, Senior Vice President Warner Home Video EMEA, for and on behalf of DEG Europe, commented, “It is hugely promising to see such healthy figures for the year so far, and we are confident that 2007 will finish on a high. Looking at the impressive list of box office titles that will be coming to the DVD market this quarter, we are able to make very positive, full year predictions of substantial year-on-year growth.”

This expectation is further supported by the theatrical experience this summer with the unusual number of blockbusters released in the cinema. Across Europe, new releases such as Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix, Pirates of the Caribbean – At Worlds End, Shrek III, Spiderman 3, The Bourne Ultimatum and 300 each saw attendance figures reach between seven and nine million. This is expected to lead to a strong fourth quarter of DVD sales. Importantly, each of these strong titles will also be released in high definition fuelling further consumer adoption and availability of high profile movies in this format.

Caillaud concludes, “Digital products, including DVDs, hold their position high on the list of top Christmas presents each year and it seems that consumers are still buying physical products therefore adding to their collections. The success of this summer’s blockbusters is set to push this market into further expansion into 2008.”

Story filed 23.10.07