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YOUNG adults raised on digital downloads are fuelling a boom in sales of physical media such as books, vinyl records and DVD movies.

It is partly explained by a desire for a break from the online world but also, ironically, to share ‘shelfies’ – photos of their prized collections – on websites such as Instagram, according to researchers.

They found that among all generations, 52 per cent prefer to buy physical books, music CDs and records, DVD films and boxed video games over digital versions. E-book sales are expected to fall to £337million this year from £339million in 2016, while the figure for the physical equivalent is set to rise 6 per cent to £1.7billion.

The demand is particularly noticeable among young adults aged 18 to 24 – the socalled ‘phygital generation’ happy to mix physical and digital media.

For example, 83 per cent of those surveyed in this age group have bought an item of physical media in the past year. The research commissioned by eBay found one in four have bought a vinyl record, nearly two thirds a physical book, and just over half a DVD or a video game on disc.

Nearly two thirds use physical media to ‘disconnect from the online world’, although 70 per cent simply like the ‘look and feel’ of items such as books, the study said.

A spokesman for eBay noted that ‘Instagram culture’ – where online photos proclaim ‘intellectual allegiances and cultural loyalties’ – is fuelling the trend.