Germany: Blu-ray Unit Sales Double in Q1-Q3 2010, Drive Overall Growth

The German Federal Association for Audiovisual Media (BVV) has released figures for the home video market in January-September 2010. According to data from research firm GfK, a total of 7.3 million Blu-ray units were sold, 127% more than in the same period in 2009. Nearly one in ten (9.5%) movies sold was on Blu-ray. The revenue on Blu-ray software sales was 117 million euros, compared to 65 million euros last year.

Thanks mainly to Blu-ray, overall home video sales increased 11%, with 76.7 million total units sold. Total sellthrough revenues were 888 million euros, 6% more than in the first three quarters of 2009.

Oliver Trettin, Deputy Managing Director of BVV, said that by year end, sales were expected to meet the projection of over ten million units. "Traditionally, the home entertainment industry is especially busy during the Christmas shopping season, so I expect that mark to be beaten easily," he said.

Average Blu-ray pricing has dropped to 16.05 euros from 20.17 last year.

Electronic sales, even after increasing fivefold in the last year, are less than 2% of the overall home video sales market, with revenues of 16 million euros.