3D TV appeals to just 2 per cent of Brits

A mere 2 per cent of people in the UK are planning to buy a 3D-enabled TV in the next year, according to a new survey.

Of 4,199 UK shoppers quizzed, only 89 of them said they would seriously consider buying a 3D-ready television in the next 12 months, the Telegraph reports. The research was conducted by YouGov for auditor Deloitte and flies in the face of TV manufacturers, many of whom have made a big deal of 3D with this year's ranges.

In a bid to get 3D hardware in the shops before the maiden broadcast of Sky 3D at the start of October, manufacturers including Samsung, Sony and Panasonic have already begun selling 3D TVs. These will be able to display stereoscopic images that, when viewed through specially adapted glasses -- often bought separately -- allow the broadcast images to appear three-dimensional.

People aged 25 to 34 were more enthusiastic, but still only 5 per cent would likely buy a 3D TV before the summer of 2011. An insignificant 1 per cent of people over the age of 44 would consider it.

It's not just 3D that us Englishmen and women have no love for, however, with precious little interest in any new TV service or product, such as Internet-enabled TVs or Sky+. Only 7 per cent of people surveyed (who didn't already have one) said they'd consider investing in an HD TV, despite its relative maturity.

So it may well be that it's not that people aren't interested in watching TV with silly glasses on, but rather they're not comfortable admitting to planning a major splurge on consumer tech in the middle of a recession.

At time of writing, no sales figures were available to show the present state of 3D TV sales, but there's optimism in the air. Bob Darke, Comet's commercial director, has claimed that "thousands" of 3D TVs have been sold and other retailers are reporting significant interest in the technology.

There was a spike in sales of 3D TVs in May, according to Darke, which might be attributed to people upgrading to the latest TV ranges in time for the World Cup, despite the games not being broadcast to homes in 3D.