Five-Country Survey Finds U.K. Has Highest CD Prices

A British Department of Trade and Industry price survey into internationally available branded products has found that consumers pay significantly more for CDs in the U.K. than in other territories.

The new study examined prices of six popular CDs in France, Germany, Sweden, the U.S., and the U.K. The report states that "a clear pattern emerged?the U.K. was consistently the most expensive country for the six items surveyed." Sweden was consistently the No. 2 most expensive country. One CD surveyed, Radiohead's "Kid A" (Parlophone), cost an average of £13.47 ($19.37) in the U.K., 28% more than in the cheapest country, Germany. The average retail price in the U.S. was £10.72 ($15.41).

The report was commissioned in cooperation with the ministry of foreign affairs in Sweden, which currently holds the European Union presidency.

CD prices in Britain have been under heavy scrutiny this year. In February, the Office of Fair Trading launched an investigation into the supply of CDs (Bulletin, Feb. 12), just weeks after the European Commission launched a separate inquiry into CD price-fixing (Bulletin, Jan. 29).