Sainsbury’s to stop selling CDs and DVDs as customers desert discs for streaming services
- Sainsbury’s said sales of CDs and DVDs in stores will be gradually phased out
- This is due to shoppers increasingly turning to online services for film and music
- Extra space in supermarkets will be dedicated to ‘food, clothing and homewares’
Sainsbury’s will stop selling CDs and DVDs as hoards of customers turn to streaming services for music and films.
Shoppers are increasingly using online subscription services to access entertainment at home, a spokesperson for the supermarket told the BBC.
They added that sales of CDs and DVDs will now be gradually phased out, although some stores will continue to sell vinyl records.
There is no evidence that other large supermarkets such as Asda, Tesco and Morrisons will follow Sainsbury’s lead in this decision.
Sainsbury’s will stop selling CDs and DVDs as hoards of customers turn to streaming services for music and films. Pictured: Stock image
Sainsbury’s said the extra space in stores will be dedicated to ‘food and popular products like clothing and homewares’.
CD sales have steadily fallen since 2010, but were worth £115million last year.
Consumers now typically opt for subscription services like Spotify and Apple Music, which charge a monthly or annual fee, to download music.
Despite this, there has been a resurgence in sales of vinyl records. Sales reached 4.8 million in 2020, bringing in more than £86million.
Although this is less than the revenue brought in by CDs, the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) believes the value of record sales will surpass that of CDs in 2021.
Shoppers are increasingly using online subscription services to access entertainment at home, a spokesperson for the British supermarket said. Pictured: Stock image
There is no evidence that other large supermarkets such as Asda, Tesco and Morrisons will follow Sainsbury’s lead in this decision. Pictured: Stock image
This has not been the case since the late 1980s.
A BPI spokesman said: ‘The CD has proved exceptionally successful for nearly 40 years and remains a format of choice for many music fans who value sound quality, convenience and collectability.
‘Although demand has been following a long-term trend as consumers increasingly transition to streaming, resilient demand is likely to continue for many years, enhanced by special editions and other collectible releases.
‘If some retailers now see the format as less of a priority, this will create a further opportunity for others, such as independent shops and specialist chains such as HMV, to cater to the continuing demand.’