LoveFilm
LoveFilm was a European home-entertainment subscription brand specializing in DVD-by-mail rentals and online video streaming.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
LoveFilm was a United Kingdom-based home-entertainment company and brand that combined postal rental of DVDs, Blu-ray discs and video games with subscription video streaming. It became one of the most prominent online rental services in Europe during the transition from physical media to internet-delivered entertainment. Although the LoveFilm brand was created in the United Kingdom, its operating footprint eventually covered the UK, Germany, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. The business originated in May 2002 when Paul Gardner and Graham Bosher launched Online Rentals Limited in Harlow, Essex, trading as DVDsOnTap. The company offered customers a subscription-based alternative to physical video stores, allowing them to select titles online and receive discs by post. Other early businesses pursued similar models. ScreenSelect was launched in London in 2003 by William Reeve and Alex Chesterman, while Video Island was founded that year by Saul Klein with backing from Arts Alliance-related investors and Redbus Films. In Scandinavia, Boxman and Digitarian developed comparable DVD-rental services. Arts Alliance Ventures acquired Online Rentals in October 2003. The company was relaunched as Lovefilm in December of that year, with Mark Livingstone subsequently appointed chief executive. Its relationship with Arts Alliance's Picturehouse Cinemas helped the company reach film-focused customers and supported a broader entertainment proposition. LoveFilm expanded rapidly through acquisitions, including the online rental operation of the Choices retail chain, Webflix and the Scandinavian service Boxman. A parallel consolidation occurred around ScreenSelect and Video Island. ScreenSelect acquired In-Movies in 2003 and merged with Video Island in 2004. After further expansion, including the acquisition of DVDs365 and its Mailbox Movies, MovieTrak and Qflicks operations, the combined business became larger than LoveFilm by 2006. In April 2006, LoveFilm and ScreenSelect merged. The surviving business used ScreenSelect's management and technology platform but retained the LoveFilm brand. The headquarters moved to Acton, London. By the end of 2006 the LoveFilm name had replaced ScreenSelect, BraFilm and Boxman in most markets, with Norway following in 2008. Amazon became involved in 2008 when LoveFilm acquired Amazon's UK and German DVD-rental businesses. Amazon received a substantial minority stake and became LoveFilm's largest shareholder. LoveFilm continued to develop streaming alongside postal rental. Its download service ended in February 2009, while its subscription-based online viewing service grew to include thousands of films. Streaming applications were introduced for PlayStation 3 in 2010, iPad in 2011 and Xbox 360 later that year. LoveFilm content was also integrated into Amazon's Kindle Fire HD and Amazon Video applications in the UK and Germany. Amazon announced in January 2011 that it would acquire the rest of LoveFilm, taking full control in a transaction reported at approximately £200 million. After the acquisition, LoveFilm operated as an Amazon entertainment service while retaining a distinct consumer identity for several years. It expanded its catalogue and entered a streaming partnership with NBCUniversal in 2012, at the same time announcing high-definition streaming. The business also operated white-label rental services for partners including WHSmith, Tesco, EasyCinema, Odeon, Nectar and the Guardian-sponsored Sofa Cinema. The LoveFilm streaming operation was gradually absorbed into Amazon's broader video business. Amazon announced in February 2014 that LoveFilm's video-on-demand service would be replaced by Amazon Instant Video, while the LoveFilm name continued for the physical rental service. Amazon later announced that LoveFilm By Post would close on 31 October 2017 because demand for mailed discs had declined. The closure marked the end of LoveFilm as an operating consumer service, although its growth helped establi…
History
LoveFilm developed from the early-2000s online DVD-rental market. Online Rentals Limited, trading as DVDsOnTap, was launched in Harlow, Essex, in May 2002 by Paul Gardner and Graham Bosher. ScreenSelect and Video Island emerged in London in 2003, while Boxman and Digitarian established related services in Scandinavia. These companies used online catalogues and postal delivery to offer subscribers broader choice and greater convenience than traditional video-rental shops. Arts Alliance Ventures acquired Online Rentals Limited in October 2003 and relaunched it as Lovefilm in December. The company expanded through acquisitions and partnerships, reaching 50,000 subscribers by December 2004 and 100,000 customers by March 2005. Its acquisitions included the online business of Choices, Webflix and Boxman. ScreenSelect and Video Island followed a similar consolidation strategy, acquiring In-Movies and DVDs365, whose brands included Mailbox Movies, MovieTrak and Qflicks. In 2006, LoveFilm and ScreenSelect merged. The combined organization adopted ScreenSelect's management and technology but retained the LoveFilm name, eventually replacing most of the other brands in its markets. Amazon entered the ownership structure in February 2008 when LoveFilm acquired Amazon's UK and German rental operations. Amazon became the largest shareholder and later purchased the rest of the company in a deal announced in January 2011. By this stage LoveFilm had become a major European rental and streaming platform, claiming more than 70,000 titles and millions of monthly rentals across five countries. The company experimented with downloads, but its download service ceased in February 2009. Its subscription streaming proposition, known as Watch Online or LoveFilm Instant in different contexts, became more important. Streaming arrived on PlayStation 3 in 2010, followed by iPad and Xbox 360 applications in 2011. LoveFilm was integrated into Amazon's Kindle Fire HD and Amazon Video ecosystem in 2012, and additional platform launches followed on Wii U and updated PlayStation 3 software. LoveFilm's commercial development was accompanied by operational and regulatory scrutiny. In 2006, the UK's Advertising Standards Authority upheld a complaint concerning the use of the term 'unlimited' in rental advertising. Critics argued that high-volume customers could experience slower dispatches or receive less favorable selections under a fair-usage system, a practice commonly described as throttling. LoveFilm said the policy was intended to distribute capacity fairly. The company also had a dispute with Universal Pictures over the availability of newer Universal releases; the disagreement began in 2009 and was resolved in 2012. The service contracted geographically and strategically as Amazon consolidated its video businesses. LoveFilm announced the end of its Scandinavian service in 2013, and its video-on-demand operation was replaced by Amazon Instant Video in February 2014. The physical LoveFilm By Post service continued in the UK until Amazon announced its closure in August 2017. It ended on 31 October 2017, bringing the LoveFilm operating brand to an end.
- 2017
LoveFilm By Post closes
[1]The remaining postal disc-rental service ends on 31 October.
- 2014
Streaming business folded into Amazon Instant Video
[1]Amazon ends the LoveFilm video-on-demand service and transfers the proposition to Amazon Instant Video.
- 2013
Scandinavian service closes
[1]LoveFilm announces the shutdown of its service in Scandinavia.
- 2011
Amazon acquires LoveFilm outright
[1]Amazon announces full control of LoveFilm after previously holding a minority stake.
- 2010
PlayStation 3 streaming service launches
[1]LoveFilm extends its streaming service to PlayStation 3.
- 2008
Amazon becomes the largest shareholder
[1]LoveFilm acquires Amazon's UK and German DVD-rental operations, giving Amazon a major ownership position.
- 2006
LoveFilm and ScreenSelect merge
[1]The two major UK online rental businesses combine, retaining the LoveFilm brand and moving the headquarters to Acton.
- 2005
Rapid subscriber and acquisition growth
[1]LoveFilm passes 100,000 customers, acquires Webflix and expands into Scandinavia through the acquisition of Boxman.
- 2003
Arts Alliance acquires the business and creates Lovefilm
[1]Arts Alliance Ventures acquires Online Rentals Limited, which is rebranded and relaunched as Lovefilm in December.
- 2002
Online Rentals Limited launches
[1]Paul Gardner and Graham Bosher launch Online Rentals Limited in Harlow, Essex, trading as DVDsOnTap.
Products and positioning
A convenient, subscription-based alternative to video-store rental, combining a large physical rental catalogue with increasingly integrated online streaming.
DVD and Blu-ray rental · 2003
LoveFilm By Post
The core physical-media subscription service allowed customers to create rental lists online and receive DVDs or Blu-ray discs by post. Customers returned discs through the mail and received further selections under monthly plans. The service was retained after the streaming operation moved into Amazon's video business, but declining demand eventually led Amazon to close it in October 2017.
Subscription video streaming
LoveFilm Instant
LoveFilm's subscription streaming proposition offered films online as part of qualifying rental plans or a streaming-only account. It evolved from the company's Watch Online service and was made available through computers, game consoles, tablets and connected devices. The service was ultimately replaced by Amazon Instant Video in 2014.
Video game rental
LoveFilm Games
LoveFilm offered video game rentals alongside film and television-disc rental, including support for console customers. The games service was withdrawn from new and existing customers in August 2013.
Controversies
2006
Advertising Standards Authority ruling over 'unlimited' rentals
The Advertising Standards Authority upheld a complaint concerning LoveFilm's use of the word 'unlimited' in rental advertising. Reports alleged that high-volume users could face slower dispatches and less favorable fulfilment under a fair-usage policy, commonly called throttling. LoveFilm defended the policy as a way to distribute service capacity among customers.
Marketing campaigns
- 2009It Must Be Love advertising theme
United Kingdom
LoveFilm used Madness's song 'It Must Be Love' as the theme for its television advertising.
Outcome. The music became associated with the brand's mass-market advertising during its transition toward streaming.
- 2006LoveFilm television advertising
United Kingdom
LoveFilm expanded from partner-led promotion into regular television advertising, supported by online, print, train-poster, door-drop and venue-based activity.
Outcome. The campaign helped make LoveFilm a more recognizable consumer brand as the company consolidated the online rental market.
Brand decisions
2017
Closure of LoveFilm By PostStrategyBackground
Amazon cited decreasing demand for physical discs as consumers moved toward streaming.
Action taken
Amazon announced that LoveFilm By Post would terminate on 31 October 2017.
Aftermath
The closure ended LoveFilm as an active consumer service.
2014
Streaming folded into Amazon Instant VideoStrategyBackground
Amazon was consolidating its video-on-demand products under the Amazon Video proposition.
Action taken
Amazon discontinued LoveFilm's streaming service and replaced it with Amazon Instant Video.
Aftermath
The LoveFilm name remained associated primarily with the physical postal rental operation until that service also closed.
2013
Withdrawal from ScandinaviaStrategyBackground
LoveFilm operated services in Sweden, Norway and Denmark but was increasingly focusing on its core markets.
Action taken
LoveFilm announced that its Scandinavian service would close.
Aftermath
The brand's geographic footprint narrowed before the later consolidation of its streaming and postal businesses.
2011
Amazon takes full ownershipM&ABackground
Amazon already held a 32 percent stake after LoveFilm acquired Amazon's UK and German rental businesses.
Action taken
Amazon announced an agreement to acquire the remaining ownership of LoveFilm.
Aftermath
LoveFilm became an Amazon-controlled entertainment service and was progressively integrated with Amazon's video platforms.
Reported transaction value. (2011)
2009
End of the download serviceOtherBackground
LoveFilm had offered a download option in addition to postal rental and streaming.
Action taken
The company discontinued its download service on 23 February 2009.
Aftermath
The business concentrated on postal rental and subscription streaming.
2009
Dispute with Universal PicturesOtherBackground
LoveFilm and Universal Pictures disagreed over the availability of newer Universal releases for rental.
Action taken
LoveFilm temporarily stopped adding new Universal Pictures UK DVDs to its rental catalogue.
Aftermath
The dispute was resolved in May 2012, after which relevant Universal titles became available for rental and streaming.
Sources1 sources
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