The range of budget CDs in Woolies stores was dramatically improved during the 1990s
         
       
The mv logo was used in the early 1990s, but few customers knew it stood for music and video ! During the 1980s the Woolworths entertainment offer was transformed.  By the end of the decade almost a quarter of all of the chart music and nearly a third of the general entertainment video sold in the UK was sold through Woolworths stores.
Also during the 1980s the Group acquired "RM", Record Merchandisers Ltd, Europe's largest entertainment wholesaler. RM had been instrumental to the regeneration of the Woolies  entertainment offer, providing a comprehensive ranging and display service to the stores as well as a central source of product.  Originally a subsidiary of EMI Records, RM was re-branded Entertainment UK (or E.UK for short). Entertainment UK Limited's headquarters in Clayton Road, Hayes, Middlesex.
Entertainment UK's state-of-the-art premises in Greenford, Middlesex - the heart of Europe's largest music and video wholesaler As Woolies implemented new technology in the stores to capture item level sales, E.UK took responsibility for replenishing stores each day, establishing a large ultra-modern warehouse and picking facility in Greenford, West London.
During the 1990s the range in Woolies stores was overhauled, offering separate album charts for Artists/Groups and Compilations, moving away from LPs and into CDs and reducing the range of audio cassettes offered in-store.  The company also introduced telephone cards and later mobile telephony as well as ring-tones and an offer on the world wide web. A typical basket of Entertainment items from the shelves of the Newbury store (No 307) in 1992
         
The move into CDs gave Woolies the opportunity to transform the budget range.  Working with leading music publishers Music Club International (MCI) and Demon Music Group they established an exclusive range of budget CDs with a wide range of back catalogue and compilation titles all by the original artists (or instrumentals) at very competitive prices.

Crimson label CDs achieved a market share of over 40% in the UK in the late 1990s, despite only being offered through Kingfisher Group stores.

VCI, MCI and Demon Music Group joined Kingfisher Group in 1999, and subsequently demerged as part of Woolworths Group in 2001. 

For the first time in 100 years of selling music at Woolworths, authoring, publication, wholesaling and retailing (both through Woolies and our sister company MVC) .  Frank Woolworth, who pioneered mass production and simple supply chains would be proud indeed.

 Some of the many budget CDs from Crimson that Woolies sold during the 1990s. They remain great value and very popular with customers.
         
The entertainment service area in a typical Woolies in the year 2000.
         

Music & Video Gallery Home

Music and video introduction   Sixpenny pops: We'll have a Woolworth wedding (20s Gallery)
Little Marvel - our first gramophone records (20s Gallery)    Eclipse and Crown records, the nation's favourite (30s Gallery)
Play "The Lion and Albert" 78 rpm record (plays both sides)   Play Vera Lynn's Top Hat. White Tie and Tails (Side 1)
Play Vera Lynn's Top Hat, White Tie and Tails (Side 2)   Making a Crown record (30s Gallery)
Under the covers of Embassy Records (50s Gallery)   Hits of the 60s - the new music (60s Gallery)
On a budget in the 1970s    Launch of the Video Collection Pre-Recorded Video in the 80s   
The Video Collection - original trailer   1990s and beyond - integrated entertainment offer