The Digital Radio Development Bureau, which released the figures compiled by market researchers The GfK Group, said sales in December were up by 22% year on year, to make last Christmas the most successful for the product.
One million DAB radios were bought during the fourth quarter of 2007, with 550,000 being snapped up in December alone, as John Lewis reported selling as many as six a minute at one point in the pre-Christmas rush.
The strong quarter puts the cumulative number of DAB sets sold in the UK in 2007 at 6.45 million, up from 4.4 million at the end of 2006.
The Digital Radio Development Bureau is now forecasting sales for 2008 of 2.6 million, bringing the cumulative total to 9.1 million and household penetration to 30%.
As well as conventional portable DAB radios, DAB clock radios were a particularly popular choice in Q4.
The increase in sales comes as several commercial radio stations air ads promoting the platform to listeners.
Acting Digital Radio Development Bureau chief executive Paul Brown said that at a time when parts of the radio industry were rethinking digital strategy, it was crucial not to lose sight of the many consumers who consider DAB radios a "valued medium".
One million DAB radios were bought during the fourth quarter of 2007, with 550,000 being snapped up in December alone, as John Lewis reported selling as many as six a minute at one point in the pre-Christmas rush.
The strong quarter puts the cumulative number of DAB sets sold in the UK in 2007 at 6.45 million, up from 4.4 million at the end of 2006.
The Digital Radio Development Bureau is now forecasting sales for 2008 of 2.6 million, bringing the cumulative total to 9.1 million and household penetration to 30%.
As well as conventional portable DAB radios, DAB clock radios were a particularly popular choice in Q4.
The increase in sales comes as several commercial radio stations air ads promoting the platform to listeners.
Acting Digital Radio Development Bureau chief executive Paul Brown said that at a time when parts of the radio industry were rethinking digital strategy, it was crucial not to lose sight of the many consumers who consider DAB radios a "valued medium".
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