3D films are overpriced and over-hyped, Mintel finds According to Mintel, 22 per cent of all box office tickets sold in 2011 were for 3D films. This was down from 28 per cent in 2010. Although the steep decline was partly due to the huge success of Oscar-winning Avatar in 2010, there are other factors at play. Michael Oliver, leisure analyst at Mintel and the author of the report, said: "People who have been to 3D movies say that they like them technically but they don't think they are particularly good value for money." He said that poor-quality 3D titles have dented people's enjoyment of the films. The problem is that some films work very well in 3D and others don't. And it's the ones that don't that really damage the industry because everyone has jumped on the bandwagon and thought this is a really good way to get an extra 40 per cent in ticket revenues, and it doesn't really work that well," said Mr Oliver. People are more wary of their spending due to the economic climate. While the average cinema ticket is £6 this can rise to as much as £10 for a 3D ticket. Mr Oliver said: "People look at 3D and think "another 40 per cent." If you are a family with three children and you are going to buy loads of popcorn and drinks then an extra 40pc on 4 tickets makes quite a big difference, so a lot of people have traded down to 2D. The number of 3D digital screens in the UK has increased 30-fold in the last five years. There were just 47 3D screens in 2007 - equivalent to 8 per cent of all screens in the UK. This figure increased to 1,475 last year - equivalent to 71 per cent of all screens. Mr Oliver said that 3D films" share of total box office revenue will settle at between a quarter to a third of total takings. It is nice extra business for the cinema companies. 3D films have a place in the industry but I don't think it is going to dominate in the way that some predictions forecast when Avatar came out. It has got its place and when used correctly and properly it adds tremendously to the experience. But it is not suited to every single film that comes out," he said. The proportion of popular films" grosses taken up by 3D ticket sales fell last year compared to the previous year. While 72 per cent of ticket sales for 2010"s most popular film, Toy Story 3, were 3D, this fell to 48 per cent for 2011"s most popular film, which was the final Harry Potter installment. This was also the case for the second, third and fourth most popular films. It is not only 3D films that cinema-goers see as over-priced. Nine out of ten people said that food and drink at cinemas is too expensive, while four in ten people admitted to taking their own supplies into cinemas when they watch a film. "Rather than spend loads in the cinema people are going to Tesco Express and buying it cheaper," Mr Oliver said. Mintel surveyed over 1,600 adults. Diminishing returns Top ten 3D releases 2010 Toy Story 3 - Total gross: £73.8m, 3D as a percentage of gross: 72pc Alice in Wonderland - Total gross: £42.5m, 3D as a percentage of gross: 76pc Shrek Forever After - Total gross: £32.3m, 3D as a percentage of gross: 67pc Top ten 3D releases 2011 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt 2 - Total gross: £73.1m, 3D as a percentage of gross: 48pc Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Total gross: £28.1m, 3D as a percentage of gross: 66pc Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - Total gross: £32.9m, 3D as a percentage of gross: 56pc