Woolworths backs Blu-ray, drops HD DVD

Stopping stocking struggling format on shop shelves

28 January 2008 13:38 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

High street retailer Woolworths, apparently the UK's biggest retailer of next-gen DVD discs, is exclusively backing Blu-ray moving forward this year.

The chain has announced it is only to stock Blu-ray discs in store from March, with HD DVD movies being dropped from shop shelves, only to be sold online.

The move is apparently the a result of a decision made after Christmas sales stats were studied - it seems Blu-ray discs outsold HD DVDs by ten-to-one in Woolies stores over the festive sales period.

"Sales figures clearly show that the market is moving towards one format of high definition DVD", says Woolworths DVD buyer Steven McGunigel.

"The main reason is the success of Sony's PlayStation 3 machine. Because it plays Blu-ray discs, there are over three quarters of a million homes in the UK that can view the new high definition format. There is no where near that number of HD DVD players around."

"Switching to Blu-ray only will provide one clear offer to customers in the format they want to watch high definition movies in."

From March, Woolworths stores will have a Blu-ray DVD chart and back catalogue in all 820 stores.