European Cinema Admissions Top One Billion In 2002

The report, Cinemagoing Europe, found that 1.03 billion Europeans visited cinemas last year, an increase of 6.5 million on the 2001 total. UK admissions were up by almost 20 million (12.5%) compensating for declines of 8% and 4% in Germany and Spain respectively. The most enthusiastic cinema-goers were the Icelanders, averaging 5.55 visits each, while the Irish averaged 4.42 visits. However, the Baltic state of Estonia experienced the fastest growth over twelve months.

Although admissions continue to climb, there was the anticipated drop in new multiplex openings in 2002. The European screen count expanded by 1,000 per annum between 1996 and 2001 but just 635 screens were added last year. This was ascribed to the plateau in admissions at the end of the last decade which is only now influencing multiplex construction.

Cinema-goers paid an average of ₏5.73 per ticket in 2002, exactly ₏1 more than in 1997. The UK generated ₏1.2 billion in box office revenues, equivalent to more than a fifth of the European total. France was the only other market worth in excess of ₏1 billion on this front.

European box office takings of ₏5.6 billion (₏5.2 billion net of value added and other taxes) were supplemented by refreshment sales of ₏1.2 billion net of taxes and on-screen advertising which is estimated to be worth ₏526 million to cinema exhibitors. In total, exhibitors’ net revenues came to ₏6.9 billion, 70% higher than in 1996. UK cinemas realised revenues of ₏1.43 billion ahead of the German market which generated ₏1.21 billion.

Total Cinema Exhibition Revenue In Europe 2002
Country	Revenue (₏ million)
United Kingdom	1432.32
Germany	1207.21
France	1143.03
Spain	792.34
Italy	692.09
Switzerland	194.80
Netherlands	187.28
Belgium	169.04
Sweden	144.25
Austria	127.76
Poland	120.08
Norway	108.45
Ireland	103.67
Greece	102.15
Denmark	99.30
Portugal	81.57
Finland	60.63
Hungary	43.92
Czech Republic	33.43
Iceland	14.78
Luxembourg	10.35
Slovenia	7.83
Malta	6.96
Estonia	6.55
Cyprus	6.22
Slovakia	5.42
Lithuania	4.59
Latvia	3.79
Total	6909.81
Source: Dodona Research, July 2003

Leading European Cinema Exhibitors 2003
Company	Screens
UGC	896
United Cinemas International	844
EuroPalaces	742
Odeon Cinemas	608
Kieft & Kieft	478
CinemaxX	387
SBC International	385
CGR	378
Cine-UK	319
Kinepolis Group	297
Source: Dodona Research, July 2003

Indications are that the European cinema industry is becoming more concentrated but remains highly fragmented. Dodona identified 53 circuits across the continent operating 50 screens or more, but they represent only 36% of screens.

Karsten-Peter Grummitt, one of the report’s authors commented: “At the level of box office, concentration is much more marked because there are a lot of part-time and small-town cinemas among the 19,000 screens not owned by circuits, but there are still a surprising number of small independent cinemas, often doing a good job for their customers.”

The popularity of cinema shows no sign of abating and the report concludes that spending at European box offices will increase by 24% or ₏1.5 billion between now and 2007.