After months of year-on-year growth, UK sales of digital SLRs levelled off in March, compared to the same month last year, official figures will reveal.
Meanwhile, sales of compact cameras fell 10% in unit terms in March 2009, compared to March 2008. And compact sales revenue plummeted 13%.
However, analysts say that the DSLR market is still on track to notch-up overall growth this year.
Consumers snapped up 34,966 DSLRs in March, compared to 35,139 in March 2008, according to GfK Marketing Services Ltd.
Though this represents a fall of 0.5%, this is partly due to the Easter break falling in April this year – traditionally a busier time for retailers – says GfK.
DSLR sales remain strong, however. March 2009 saw 2,566 more units flying off the shelves than the month before.
A spokesman for GfK Retail and Technology told us: ‘We are still confident about growth of the DSLR segment on the overall year as we also saw a flat month last year.’
UK camera sales have remained buoyant, in spite of the recession. January 2009 saw a 57% rise in demand for DSLR sales while, a month later, sales shot up 20% on a year-on-year basis.
