Supermarkets show biggest growth in game sales in 2009
Online sales also up but specialists down slightly; average price of games also down
New data from the Entertainment Retailers Association has shown that game sales through UK supermarkets grew significantly in 2009, from 10.1 per cent to 17.7 per cent of the total market by value.
Sales of games via online outlets were up from 24.6 per cent in 2008 to 26.1 per cent, but sales though specialist retailers such as GAME and Gamestation were down from 35 per cent to 33.9 per cent in 2009.
The ERA report says that the closure of Woolworths has had a significant impact on the sales of entertainment products in the UK, noting that "it became apparent in the run-up to Christmas 2009 that internet retailers and grocers had been the biggest beneficiaries of the demise of Woolworths. Internet retailing now accounts for around 30 per cent of video, games and music sales."
The average retail price for a videogame in 2009 was £21.34, down from £22.99 the previous year, according to TNS Worldwide Panel Entertainment.
Prices at specialist retailers dropped to £20.96 on average, while supermarkets were asking more at £23.23. Online stores were the cheapest, asking an average price of £19.29.
According to data from GfK Chart Track, there were 6770 principle retailers selling games in the UK in 2009, down 839 stores compared to 2008.