Tesco teams up with Disney to sell films in vinyl records style packaging in bid to revive flagging DVD sales
The superstore will sell the first £25 Big Sleeve Edition containing both DVD and Blu-ray discs
TESCO today teams up with Disney to sell DVDs in 12-inch-vinyl-sized sleeves in a bid to revive interest in the ailing format.
The first major release in the new format, known as the Big Sleeve Edition, is the new Beauty and the Beast movie.
The sleeve contains both a DVD and a Blu-ray version of the blockbuster - and also features 12-inch collectible cards with characters and scenes from the film.
But it’s not cheap - the Big Sleeve edition is £25.
A copy on DVD is £10 and on Blu-ray, the high definition format, is £15.
Netflix, Amazon Video, Sky and Apple have all been key in encouraging TV and film fans to download or stream content over the internet - rather than buy physical discs.
This has lead to the decline in sales of DVDs and Blu-rays - with streaming and downloads of films and TV shows overtaking sales of discs for the first time last year.
It mirrors how how CD sales fell in the face of first iTunes and then streaming services like Spotify.
Two years ago, Tesco started selling vinyl - which is now seeing its strongest demand for more than 25 years. It is hoped the Big Sleeve format will do the same.
Tesco’s Rob Wilson said: "We believe Big Sleeves could be as effective in stimulating growth in DVDs and Blu-rays - as limited editions have been in reviving vinyl.
"These formats look fantastic and have great collectability, as well as being perfect gifts. They really offer customers something different to digital and streaming versions."
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The Beauty and the Beast Big Sleeve will be available in over 400 stores and online on Monday July 17 for £25.
Tesco trialled the Big Sleeve Edition with a few releases across a handful of stores in order to gauge customer reaction which has been extremely positive.
Successful trials of the Big Sleeve format have included Doctor Strange, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Finding Dory.
Tesco will continue to work with Disney on future Big Sleeve exclusives with one of the year's most popular films, Guardians of The Galaxy 2 set to be the next release.