A total of 85,000 3D TVs have been sold in Great Britain so far, according to market research firm GFK

Nigel Catlow, business group director consumer electronics at GFK said he expected opinion to be divided on the latest figures.

“3D is on course for 100,000 units to be sold within a year, which for a new format is not such a bad start,” he told Broadcast. “I remember when 16:9 launched and there was not much content, the hardware was expensive and it took three years to get to 30,000 pieces.”

November proved to be a bumper month for 3D TV manufacturers, with 31,000 3D sets sold, up on the 25,000 sold in October and a marked increase on the 9,000 that were sold in September.

In March, Currys claimed to be the first retailer to offer a 3D TV, a 52” Sony for £2999. Some retailers are now offering sets below £1000, a significant price point which should boost sales, Catlow said.

“Whether people truly believe in 3D or not, some of these TVs are a good choice for 2D viewing and lots of people will want a ‘future proof’ set,” he said.

Catlow was reluctant predict how many sets would be sold in the usually buoyant months of December and January, but he said that it would be above a combined total of 60,000.

“The weather will be a key factor – if there is a huge dollop of snow that will restrict people and it will have an impact,” he added.

Topics