BASE: digital ownership up 27% year-on-year

Ownership of TV and film titles across physical and download-to-keep digital formats remain an important part of screen entertainment, according to BASE citing first half of 2018 figures.

The trade body said that 38 million copies have been sold across DVD, Blu-ray and digital formats so far in 2018, with digital electronic sell-through up 27% year-on-year.

According to BASE stats, average consumer spend for download-to-keep titles is also increasing, with a year-to-date increase of 8% taking average spend per buyer to £31.50.

“So far 2018 has seen the home entertainment sector benefit from consistently strong performance across a broad range of titles, with films like The Greatest Showman and Paddington 2 underlining that audiences remain engaged with the category even as it adapts to changing viewing habits and tastes,” said Liz Bales, chief executive at BASE.

“Whether you consider the performance of the top 10, the rise in digital transaction or the increased consumer spend on high definition Blu-ray and 4K UHD titles, there is much to suggest that being able to access a film in your home first and in the best possible quality remains important to many.”

BASE chairman and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment managing director, Robert Price, said: “There is much to be positive about when considering the performance of the home entertainment sector so far in 2018, especially in the context of a challenging trading environment and unsteady consumer confidence.

“As an industry we must ensure our relevance to audiences sustains. We need to capitalise on successes where we see them and be bold and collaborative in approaching challenges and meeting the needs of a customer base still clearly very much in love with ownership and collection.”

The British Association for Screen Entertainment (BASE), previously known as the British Video Association (BVA), has represented the interests of publishers and rights-owners of pre-recorded filmed entertainment for 37 years.