Physical film sales rise as Gen Z rediscovers limits of streaming

Sales of physical film formats such as DVD, Blu-ray and 4K UHD have grown in Finland and abroad despite predictions of their demise as early as 2015, according to Helsinki-based retailer Filmihullu.

“Every year has been busier than the last,” said Leo Autio, the chain’s managing director. “We’ve been in the same spot for sixteen years and the customer flow keeps increasing.”

Filmihullu reports rising footfall among younger shoppers, many of whom belong to Generation Z and have encountered the shortcomings of streaming services. Customers now ask for box sets of 1970s and 1980s classics that streaming platforms rarely carry.

Global data echo the trend. British supermarket chain Tesco reintroduced DVDs in 2024 after dropping them in 2022. In the United States, 4K Blu-ray sales climbed twelve percent last year compared with 2024, according to Film Threat. The Downton Abbey finale sold 56,000 DVD copies in December 2025 alone.

Owners cite two main reasons for the shift. First, streaming catalogues often omit art-house titles or remove films after brief windows. Second, owning a disc lets viewers choose when to watch without relying on multiple subscriptions.

“It’s not the world-saving solution some thought streaming would be,” Autio said.

Other Helsinki retailers report similar patterns. Future Movie Shop moved from a basement vault to a street-level shop two years ago and now draws steady crowds. Owner Anssi Harinen highlighted box sets that bundle films with extensive extras, including a 4K collection of Jackie Chan’s Hong Kong classics and a forthcoming Stranger Things set from Netflix, a platform that rarely releases its own shows on disc.

“Even when a series stays on Netflix for years, people still want to own it physically,” Harinen said.

Kallio’s cult-status Pieni Leffakauppa, operating for nearly three decades, likewise reports growing interest in niche genres.