A recent report by Bango, surveying 5,000 subscribers across the UK, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy, has revealed significant insights into European spending on subscription services. The “European Subscription Wars” report highlights that UK and Germany lead in subscription spending, with an average of 3.3 services per person. Spain follows closely with 3.2, Italy with 3.1, and France with 3.0. Notably, one in eight Britons spend over £100 monthly on subscriptions, totaling £1,200 annually.

Compared to Americans, who spend an average of €863 annually on subscriptions, Europeans spend slightly less: €696. Economic pressures are leading to cutbacks, with nearly half of Europeans (42%) canceling subscriptions due to price hikes, a figure that rises to 48% in Italy. Additionally, 60% of Europeans (65% in Spain), report they cannot afford all the subscriptions they desire.

The introduction of lower-priced, ad-supported tiers has influenced consumer behavior, with 31% of subscribers downgrading to these cheaper options. Meanwhile, 26% have upgraded their plans, and 28% have canceled their subscriptions entirely. Despite these changes, a considerable majority (76%) believe paid subscriptions should be ad-free.

Interestingly, 22% of subscribers are willing to pay for access to watch the UEFA Euro 2024, even though the event is available on free-to-air channels, and 20% will pay to watch the Olympics. This trend could benefit Warner Bros. Discovery’s subscription offerings, indicating dissatisfaction with public broadcasting.

The report also highlights a desire for greater flexibility and control among subscribers. Over a quarter (28%) are unaware of their monthly subscription spending, and more than half (54%) want to opt out of automatic renewals.

Bundling subscriptions appears to be a popular middle ground, with 21% of subscribers opting for bundles offered by third-party services like broadband providers. In the United States, Verizon’s +play allows customers to manage multiple subscriptions on one platform, and similar services are available in Australia through Optus. European telecom companies are beginning to offer similar bundles, but mostly within the SVOD space. For example, BT in the UK provides packages including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and NOW TV, while France’s Orange offers a “Love & Go” bundle with high-speed internet, TV, and Netflix.

A notable 38% of subscribers would pay more for a package that includes popular subscriptions, with the average subscriber willing to increase their bill by 17%. Furthermore, 54% of European subscribers would show more loyalty to a brand offering an all-in-one subscription service, and 39% would consider switching providers if such a service became available elsewhere.

The “Subscription Wars: Super Bundling Awakens Europe” report, commissioned by Bango and conducted by independent research agency 3Gem, was carried out between May and June 2024.