Sony has warned that UK and Ireland deliveries of CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs could be affected after its massive three-storey, 20,000 square-metre fulfillment and distribution warehouse in Enfield, north London, was burned to the ground in an arson attack Monday night. It came as London endured a third night of rioting and looting with numerous fires being set across the capital. An eye witness told BBC Radio that he saw youths carrying petrol bombs shortly before the distribution centre was looted and set ablaze (See video).

Sony in Tokyo said no staff had been injured in the blaze.

In addition to DVD and BD products from the film studios, numerous independent record labels from the UK and across Europe fear they have lost a catastrophic amount of stock in the fire.

“Independent labels often operate on a shoestring, with tiny margins between success and failure. Last night, years of work from countless imprints went up in smoke when the riots in London claimed the warehouse,” a music label said. "So all the stock we got left is sitting in our office. Devastated is the word."