According to Dutch entertainment industry body NVPI, last year domestic consumers spent a total of €884.1 million on music, video and games, down 7.1% on 2008's results. It is the first time the total entertainment market in the Netherlands has shown a decline. Up to now the decline of the music market was made up for by increasing income from DVDs and videogames.

In 2009, the pre-recorded DVD market contracted by 10.8% in value to €292.9 million over the previous year. NVPI blames "very worrying" illegal digital offerings for the decline. Blu-ray sales were on the rise though, up 97.6% to €19 million. But it was not enough to compensate for the overall fall for the combined sales of both formats: down 7.9% in value to €312 million and down 9.4% in volume to 29.6 million units.

Even the games market, which showed strong growth in the past years, fell into decline in 2009. Having reached mass consumption, games consoles and software, were subject to price cuts, resulting in an 8.4% lower income to €313.7 million for all games software and a 27% decline on games hardware to €228.1 million.

The music market performed reasonably well in 2009, down 4.6% in value to €258.4 million ($351 million) and down just 0.2% in volume to 26.2 million units. CD albums were down 5.8% in value to €211 million.

Despite strong growth in digital - digital albums increased by 34.8% in both volume and in value for €9.4 million - digital content still only accounts for 5.7% in the total value of the Dutch music market.

Story filed 14.02.10