• Audio Products: Market SizeThe French market for audio products increased by 8% on the previous year to reach €5.8 billion (US$6.5 billion) in 2003.

• Audio Products: Market SectorsIn-home audio products grew by 28% in value terms.

• Audio Products: Share of MarketSony leads audio sales in France, with a share of over 21% in volume terms in 2003.

• Audio Products: Marketing ActivityAdspend was estimated at €20million in 2003.
TV remains the most important medium, followed by the press.

• Audio Products: Corporate OverviewSony is known for its innovation, probably due to its extremely popular advertisement campaign.
Sony is innovating the market due to its ability to integrate technology into the best and most practical designs.

• Audio Products: Pioneer Electronic CorporationPioneer Corp reached a turnover of ¥670 billion in 2003, an increase by 8.6% on the previous year.
Income stood at nearly ¥36 billion, following a figure of ¥21 billion in 2002.

• Audio Products: Philips GroupThe group reached a turnover of €29 billion in 2003, following a figure of €32 billion in 2002.
Income stood at €695 million in 2003; Philips experienced losses of €3.2 billion in the previous year, saying there has been little improvement in the global economy.

• Audio Products: Sony Corporation (02)Sony Corp.
reached a turnover of ¥7,474 billion in 2003, following a figure of ¥7,578 billion in 2002.
Following company reports, Sony attributes this decline to the general economic stagnation which slows purchasing decisions particularly within the professional audio and video segment.

• Audio Products: Samsung ElectronicsThe groups turnover reached Kwn60 trillion in 2002, an increase by 28% on the previous year.
Operating profit stood at Kwn9.2 trillion in 2002, following a figure of Kwn4 trillion in 2001.

• Audio Products: DistributionThe trend for audio market retailers in France is in favour of department stores.
They have met a real success over the review period, with a lot of consumers, who were accustomed to buying from hypermarkets.

• Audio Products: Consumer ProfileSignificant changes in the way the French listen to their music has had an impact on home, portable and mobile audio sales.

• Audio Products: Market ForecastsThe market is expected to increase by almost 9% during the forecast period, reaching €6.3 billion (US$7 billion) in 2008.

• Audio Products: Sector ForecastsAlthough in home audio is declining in value terms (5% during the forecast period), the sector will experience volume growth of almost 51%.