Screen Time Shock: Brits now spend 60 full days a year streaming content 

In the era of infinite content, it seems Brits are having a good go at watching as much of it as possible, and Gen Z is emerging as the driving force behind it.    

There have never been as many streaming video services than there are today, with Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video among the better known, there are also huge and growing content libraries within AppleTV+, Paramount+ and the HBO’s Max, not to mention and number of sporting channels included within Discovery+, NOW TV and DAZN. 

Recent Bango surveys have shown that the average US subscriber now has 5.4 subscriptions in the Subscriptions Assemble report released in March. Just a few months prior, a Europe wide survey by Bango showed that European’s on average have 3.2 subscriptions, while the UK specific are the most prolific subscribers on the continent in terms of number of subscriptions consumed 3.3 and spend (£696 per year or €814 versus European average €696). 

The Great British Binge 

The UK has officially become a nation of streamers.  Today, Bango reveals new data obtained through a 40,000 UK consumers survey (by GWI consumer insights panel).   

Over one in ten Brits (13%) now spend the equivalent of 60 full days a year watching content through streaming!  Thats more than 1,460 hours of streaming screen time a year.  Or, the same as spending 182 work days watching streaming service! 

Where do we find the time?  

Further more, a third of Brits (34%) are now watching two or more hours of streaming a day, which is the equivalent of 730 hours a year.  Flying the flag for the continent, this puts the UK ahead of European neighbours Spain (29% spend at least two hours a day), Italy and France (21%) and Greece (18%).  

It is therefore no surprise perhaps that UK adults are spending more time consuming streamed content than any other digital media: UK adults now stream content for two or more hours a day, which is more than those who spend more than two hours or more browsing social media (21%), streaming music (18%), or scroll TikTok and Reels (13%). 

Streaming is now the UK’s top digital habit, overtaking music, TikTok and other social media. 

Americans are also glued to their streams 

While the UK’s appetite for streaming is impressive, Americans remain the undisputed champions. A full 40% of US consumers watch at least two hours of streaming content daily, with nearly one in five (18%) watching over four hours every single day. 

Gen Z are the most prolific watchers, but Gen X foots the bill  

Of the many intriguing behaviours associated with Gen Z, it that they lead the way in streaming consumption, with 40% watching at least two hours daily.  

But it’s Gen X who are footing the bill with 62% covering the cost of streaming services, compared to 51% of Gen Z.   

See our recent US report on Gen Z here for more findings, such as that Gen Z are using those savings on other subscriptions. They’re the most likely to pay for music subscriptions (40%) and are also more likely to shell out for premium social media features (9%), such as Snapchat+ or X Premium.