Subscription video-on-demand services in Western Europe are expected to grow by around 45 million subscribers in 2020, with the Covid-19 outbreak providing a significant boost to the figures.Digital TV Research is forecasting Western Europe will have 197 million subscribers by 2025, double the 88 million recorded at the end of 2019.
It anticipates Netflix will remain the largest SVOD platform with 67.70 million paying subscribers expected by 2025. Netflix will add 24 million subs from 2019.
Disney+ has made a strong and immediate impact, given its brand recognition, low price and impressive content line-up. Disney+ will launch in most Western European countries by mid-2020. Disney+ is forecast to have 57.54 million paying subscribers in Western Europe by 2025.
Simon Murray, Principal Analyst at Digital TV Research, said: “The Covid -9 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have had two major effects on Western European OTT: a surge in SVOD subscriptions and a loss in advertiser confidence, which will result in lower AVOD growth for 2020.”
Murray continued: “Netflix reported impressive first quarter results and the newly-launched Disney+ has enjoyed great success. Crucial for the SVOD platforms will be retaining subscribers after the lockdown is lifted – and to attract new ones.”