DVD retailer hurt by rise in piracy
A UK DVD and computer games retailer called for tougher action on piracy today after claiming illegal copying had played a big part in its first loss in 15 years.
It was in stark contrast to the £4.5m (€6.6m) profits registered last year and the first loss since 1991 as the firm said it was suffering from an industry “plagued by piracy”.
The firm said a boom in illegal copies had squeezed prices and cut demand for rental as like-for-like retail sales fell 3.8%, while rental dropped 11.3%. Turnover was down 4.5% at £134.2m (€199m).
Chief executive Anthony Skitt said: “This is now gone beyond a small cottage industry where someone is burning a few copies and making a small turnover from friends.
“It is now hugely damaging to our business and to the sector as a whole. What people have to realise is this is bank rolling other criminal activities such as terrorism.”
ChoicesUK runs 217 stores in England and Wales selling and renting out DVDs, videos and games. It also supplies convenience stores with discs to rent and runs a website.
