WHSmith stores to sell vinyl records for first time in 30 years

WHSmith has revealed it is to start selling vinyl records in 80 of its high street stores across the UK in response to growing customer demand. Stores including Canterbury, Chester, Edinburgh Gyle and York will stock a selection of chart hits and classic albums on vinyl, from Taylor Swift to Queen. WHSmith said the appeal of owning physical music, especially vinyl, is experiencing a “widespread resurgence”, with new generations of music fans turning to vinyl for the first time. Now WHSmith is bringing back records to its stores for the first time in over 30 years, as it looks to expand its appeal to more customers on the high street. Vinyl LP sales grew for the 16th consecutive year in 2023, with nearly six million units sold, a growth of 11.7% compared with the previous year, according to data from the British Phonographic Industry*. Growing consumer demand has been driven by events like Record Store Day, and new releases on vinyl from top artists such as Taylor Swift, and re-issues of classic albums including Oasis’ The Masterplan. WHSmith first began selling vinyl albums in the 1950s and as the popularity of music grew, records became a key product category for the retailer, with WHSmith’s high street stores a destination for vinyl purchases. Emma Smyth, commercial director, WHSmith High Street, said: "After 30 years vinyl is back at WHSmith! I’m sure there are many customers out there who remember spending hours in record shops browsing the latest vinyl LPs and the artistic record covers. To me it’s no surprise that vinyl is growing in popularity again, and we are very excited to be bringing back record selections to more than 80 different stores across the UK for both seasoned fans and new listeners alike.” The relaunch of vinyl comes after WHSmith recently introduced Toys’R’Us shop-in-shops to its High Street stores. The exclusive partnership, which led to the return of Toys’R’Us nearly 40 years after it first came to the UK, will see 76 Toys’R’Us outlets open in WHSmith stores by the end of the year offering the major toy brands and bestsellers.