Virgin to take on electricals retailers?

Virgin Megastores may go head on against electricals retailers in the portable DVD player market. The retailer is piloting the range in a deal with Designer Vision to supply 1,500 portable DVD products.

The British Video Association estimates that 140 million DVDs were sold in 2003, an increase of 75 per cent from the previous year.

Last November, Dixons announced it would phase out the sale of VHS players to concentrate on DVD technology. In January, the retailer said DVD player sales contributed to a 2 per cent rise in Christmas like-for-like sales.