The Paris-based European end of the Software Publishers Association reports that the European market for personal computer software products grew 19% by revenue last year, to $1,700m, which was greater than the 14% increase registered in the US. The figures clearly showed the effects of price-cutting in the personal computer software mass market – European sales by unit increased by 53%. According to a series of studies the group has published, Germany and the UK remain the largest two markets, growing by 16% and 32% respectively. They are followed by France and Scandinavia. With recession dragging Germany down, and the hardware price wars increasingly spreading to software prospects for the rest of the year look rather less rosy.
