UK has £17.2 billion worth of DVDs lying around, study claims

That's a lot of old copies of xXx.

(eBay)

If you’re sitting on a tattered Bourne trilogy box set and several seasons of a sitcom you could easily find online, irked by them yet strangely unable to throw them away, you’re not alone.

New research suggests that the nation collectively owns around £17.2 billion of DVDs, £5.5 billion (32%) of which are unwatched.

Unlike vinyl, which possesses an unmatched sound and often retains or increases its value over time, these plastic cuboids essentially serve zero purpose other than to occasionally elevate lamps or serve as a very poor substitute for bread.

It’s not just DVDs clogging up our cupboards either, the study from netvouchercodes.co.uk also estimated that there is £1.5bn worth of unplayed video games in our homes.

It seems some have managed to purge in the digital age though, with 10% of Britons owning no DVDs and half no physical video games.

Unwatched Entertainment. An infographic by the voucher codes website NetVoucherCodes.co.uk

"We can see the effect of digital media on physical DVD and game sales in these statistics, particularly in the 18-24 age bracket, which is seen as the most 'digital savvy' age group," said the company's creative director John Stirzaker.

"It is surprising, however, to see how much money has been wasted on DVDs and video games across the country."