Streamers in Europe are growing more comfortable watching Netflix shows and movies with advertisements, according to a new report released this week.
The data, from Digital i, found streamers in five European countries have increased the amount of time spent with ad-supported content on Netflix since the streamer revamped its plans a few years ago.
In Germany, Netflix saw a 44 percent increase in streamers watching content on Netflix with Ads, the name of its ad-supported tier. The collective amount of time spent with Netflix’s ad-supported plan jumped to 116.9 million minutes in April, up from 81.3 million minutes logged in November 2024.
Spain saw the second-largest increase at 34 percent, with streamers there spending 80.2 million minutes with ad-supported content on Netflix in April, up from 59.9 million last November.
The United Kingdom saw a similar increase to Spain, but streamers there watched more content with ads when compared to the other four countries evaluated by Digital i. In the United Kingdom, streamers spent 202.6 million minutes with ad-supported Netflix content in April, up from 150.7 million minutes last year.
Europe can be a tough market for foreign streamers like Netflix: Those services have to compete with public service broadcasters (PSBs) like the BBC in the United Kingdom, ARD in Germany and France Televisions, most of which are taxpayer-funded and are often prohibited by law from carrying commercial advertisements.
The situation means PSBs have the money to develop or license high-quality content, and can offer it through their own linear and streaming platforms without ad interruptions.
Still, Netflix and other services have attracted TV audiences in Europe with a mixture of on-demand viewing and original programs like “Squid Games,” “The Crown,” “Stranger Things” and “Bridgerton,” which have influenced global pop culture.
As in the United States, Netflix has moved to generate dual sources of revenue off its streamers in other countries by introducing its ad-supported tiers, which allows it to generate money from subscription sales and commercials.
Netflix has seen a steady uptake in people signing up for the new ad-supported tiers in Europe, largely influenced by annual price adjustments on its more-expensive, ad-free plans.
The adoption of Netflix’s ad-supported tier in Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and other countries clearly hasn’t kept people from watching its shows or movies, even if they are interrupted by brand messaging from time to time.
“Netflix’s ad-supported tier has experienced strong growth in the past six months, and the increased take-up has led to increased viewership across all regions,” Matt Ross, the Chief Analytics Officer at Digital i, said in a statement. “This is good news for Netflix’s ad business which now boasts strong levels of reach combined with high levels of viewership.”
