TV, VCRs and Camcorders in France

• Tv, VCRs and

Camcorders: Market Size

The French market for televisions, video cassette recorders, and camcorders increased

by 2% on the previous year to stand at €4.2 billion (US$4.7 billion) in 2003.

• Tv, VCRs and Camcorders: Market Sectors

The TV market is progressing significantly and is promising huge development for

2004. The only factor currently holding back sales of plasma or LCD TVs in France

is the price.

• Tv, VCRs and Camcorders: Share of Market

The top four players are Philips, Sony, Samsung and Thomson, holding a combined

volume share of 61.5% in 2003.

• Tv, VCRs and Camcorders: Marketing Activity

An estimated €25 million was spent on advertising in the TV, VCR and camcorder

market in 2003. TV, poster and press remain the most important marketing media.

• Tv, VCRs and Camcorders: Corporate Overview

Panasonic, having lost market share of 1.5 percentage points from 2002 to 2003,

failed to secure its position on the market due to the fact that its products

do not offer enough functions compared to other brands of the same price.

• Tv, VCRs and Camcorders: Thomson Multimedia

Thomson Multimedia registered a turnover of €10.2 billion in 2002, a decrease

of 2% on the previous year.

• Tv, VCRs and Camcorders: Royal Phillips Electronics

The group reached a turnover of €29 billion in 2003, following a figure of

€32 billion in 2002. Income stood at €695 million in 2003; Philips experienced

losses of €3.2 billion in the previous year, saying there has been little

improvement in the global economy.

• Tv, VCRs and Camcorders: Sony Corporation

Sony Corp. reached a turnover of ¥7,474 billion in 2003, following a figure

of ¥7,578 billion in 2002. Income was ¥185 billion in the same year, an

increase by almost 38% on the previous year.

• Tv, VCRs and Camcorders: Samsung Electronics

The group’s turnover reached KRW60 trillion in 2002, an increase by 28% on

the previous year. Operating profit stood at KRW9.2 trillion in 2002, following

a figure of KRW4 trillion in 2001.

• Tv, VCRs and Camcorders: Distribution

French winners in distribution terms for video products were supermarkets/hypermarket,

specialist multiples and department stores, holding volume shares of 39%, 30%,

and 20%, respectively.

• Tv, VCRs and Camcorders: Consumer Profile

The penetration of DVD hardware is growing at a phenomenal rate.

• Tv, VCRs and Camcorders: Market Forecasts

The market is expected to grow by 199% during the forecast period, reaching Euro12.5

billion (US$14 billion) in 2008.

• Tv, VCRs and Camcorders: Sector Forecasts

The forecast period is expected to see the continuation of the digital boom with

video products such as DVD recorders, LCD TVs and digital camcorders expected

to be the main ones driving this. This development will be to the detriment of

VCRs, traditional analogue TVs and analogue camcorders.