Despite footing an average bill of £25.13 on video on-demand services like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, NOW (formerly NOW TV), Paramount+, Apple TV+, and more... the average Briton spends more time scrolling aimlessly looking for something to watch rather than enjoying a boxset binge, according to a new report from TiVo.
A whopping 84% of people admit to scrolling aimlessly through content as they struggle to find something to watch, while 18% of Britons admit to repeatedly stopping and starting shows and films before making a final selection.
The latest annual report from TiVO reveals some interesting insights about British streaming habits, including the average monthly spend, as well as the devices used
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The annual Video Trends Report from telly software brand TiVo highlights the growing challenge of choice paralysis as streaming services continue to multiply in the UK entertainment market.
With thousands of episodes, films, and documentaries available on every streamer — it's tough to find the shows that are genuinely worth your time.
And the problem is exacerbated by Britons subscribing to more streamers than ever before.
Yes, the average number of streaming services used by UK viewers has climbed to an average of 6.5 — up from 6.0 in the second quarter of 2023, the report found.
According to the data gathered by the team at TiVO, a concerning trend shows that 61% of British viewers now switch between multiple apps during a typical viewing session, marking an increase from 55% last year.
This app-hopping behaviour means viewers are spending less time enjoying entertainment and more time searching for their next programme. The phenomenon is particularly pronounced in London, where viewers use an average of 10.3 services — significantly higher than the national average.
More than half of respondents find it annoying to have to browse multiple apps to find something to watch.
Gabriel Cosgrave, who works at TiVO parent firm Xperi, explained: "As streaming options multiply, viewers are facing continued frustration when it comes to finding something to watch, showing ongoing discontent with the difficulty of finding material that suits their personal preferences."
With bills rising, Britons have turned to Free Ad-supported Streaming Television, otherwise known as FAST services like The Roku Channel, Freevee, and Samsung TV Plus
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Mr Cosgrave urged TV manufacturers to prioritise key Smart TV features, such as aggregated content offerings and hyper-personalisation to help viewers find content more quickly. The lack of personalised recommendations appears to be driving much of this "habit browsing" behaviour.
The variety of options and content quality is also affecting consumer loyalty, with 34% of current streaming service users saying they plan to cancel their subscription video on demand services within the next six months.
Daily viewing time in the UK has risen to 3.8 hours per day, with households with children watching even more at 4 hours daily. Scottish viewers top the regional rankings, consuming 4.2 hours of content per day.
While Britons spend £25.13 on average for streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and more ...that rises dramatically when pay-TV like Sky Stream, Sky Glass, Virgin TV 360, and broadband subscriptions are included too. Combined, the average Briton spends £74.83 a month on their total entertainment bill.
That's slightly down from £78.06 in the previous year.
Sports fans spend £27.60 on average to watch the live sports fixtures.
Over half of respondents (55.7%) have reduced their entertainment spending, with 18.7% reporting significant cuts to their streaming budgets.
Despite financial pressures, 65.5% of viewers still consider video services a moderate to high priority.
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The report also reveals a significant shift towards free ad-supported streaming, with 43% of UK viewers now using services like The Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus, Pluto TV, Tubi, and FreeVee — although Amazon has confirmed plans to shutter the latter to consolidate its streaming operation in the UK.
