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The next time you're in a store to buy the latest Disney movie, you might want to double check the labels to make sure you are getting a digital copy along with your blu-ray and DVD combo pack. Some Disney fans are finding that the newest movies do not have a digital download code attached to their purchase.
Two Good Reasons to Get Rid of Digital Codes
There are two good reasons Disney would make this change. This first is due to the ongoing feud with Redbox. Ever since Redbox started re-selling digital download codes to Disney movies, Disney has been searching for a way to keep the codes from falling into the wrong hands. Removing digital download codes from certain combo packs could be a direct assault on Redbox. This would make sense as some retailers have begun to implement a limit on how many products customers can buy.
Some retailers are limiting the amount of movies customers can buy. The second reason Disney could be pulling download codes it due to the streaming service it will launch next year. Disney could want to move customers away from buying physical disks and towards buying only digital copies. If it works, it could be vastly more profitable for the company.
One Bad Reason to Get Rid of Digital Codes
That said, it looks like most of the 4K - Blu-ray combo packs have maintained the digital codes. Those are also the most expensive combo-packs Disney offers and the profit margin on those packs is likely much higher than the DVD - Blu-Ray combos. So Disney could be removing digital codes from Blu-ray and DVD combo packs to pad their profit in retail.
I hate to say it, but this feels like a potential Bob Chapek move. The Disney executive is over consumer products now and is excellent at coming up with ideas that are profitable for the Disney company and a pain in the Eeyore for Disney fans. This may or may not be his brain child, but we'll keep an eye on it as the year progresses.