Germany: Blu-ray Disc Sales Increase Fivefold
Posted May 14, 2009 05:55 PM by Juan Calonge
The German Federal Association for Audiovisual Media has released the figures for the home video market in the first quarter of 2009 and they show impressive results. Blu-ray units sold were 1.1 million, or 402% more than the same period last year. In just three months, German consumers have bought two-thirds of all the discs that were sold in the whole of 2008.
Revenues from the sale of Blu-ray discs in January-March 2009 were 23 million euros, versus 6 million euros in the same three months of 2008 (that is, a 267% increase). DVD sales revenues, in turn, were €280 million, down from €296 year-on-year.
The average price of a Blu-ray title has dropped sharply from €27.75 in 2008 to €20.30 in 2009.
The spokesman for the Association for Audiovisual Media, Oliver Trettin, commented on these figures: "After such a successful beginning of the year, if we consider that the Blu-ray player base increases daily, and we remember that for the home entertainment industry the biggest period is by far the fourth quarter, we can expect nine-figure sales revenues, despite aggressive pricing by retailers."