Some 14,800 stores now selling DVDs, Blu-Rays and CDs; high street chain sales lead rise.
New figures from the Entertainment Retailers Association have shown that traditional retail still has a place, with the number of bricks and mortar entertainment stores reaching a record high.
Some 14,800 shops now sell DVDs, Blu-Rays and CDs, with supermarkets and high street chain sales leading the increase.
And, notably, stores now reporting sales to the Official UK charts for the first time include licensing favourites Argos, Boots and Primark, as well as Urban Outfitters.
The number of stores selling music and video has more than doubled since 2009, according to the ERA.
The number of supermarkets selling these items rose from 7,078 to 8,667 in 2015, while the number of retail chains grew from 2,814 to 5,566.
Meanwhile, 6,609 stores sold video games in 2015 – up from 5,272 in 2014.
Larger retailers are driving sales by focusing on campaigns and offers, ERA chief executive, Kim Bayley, told the BBC.
“Just as the internet has demonstrated that accessibility and convenience are key to selling entertainment, physical stores are demonstrating that if you put entertainment in front of people, they will buy it,” Kim commented.
