Dixons Group, the UK's largest electrical chain, has hammered another nail in the video recorder coffin, citing lack of demand. The company reported that sales of DVD players are outstripping VCRs by 40 to one.

Nearly 90 per cent of households have bought a VCR since they first went on sale 26 years ago.

John Mewett, marketing director at Dixons, issued the following statement: "We are saying goodbye today to one of the most important products in the history of consumer technology.

"The video recorder has been with us for a generation, and many of us have grown up with the joys - and occasional frustrations - of tape-based recording.

"We are now entering the digital age and the new DVD technology available represents a step change in picture quality and convenience."

The entertainment industry was initially against video technology, claiming that home taping of TV programmes would bankrupt the industry.

In the US a $25 levy per blank video tape was mooted, but this idea was dropped and Hollywood went on to make millions in home movie sales from the VHS format.