While Mintel’s analysis of video consumption behaviour shows that higher costs of living hardly affected spend on streaming services, subscriptions perceived as non-essential remain at risk of being cut down.
The Video and TV Market in Germany – Current Landscape
Free TV is the most popular video media format in Germany, meaning persistently weak financial confidence has left viewing habits and the German streaming market largely unaffected. 16 to 34-year-olds, in particular, rely on paid streaming services, but they remained loyal to their essential subscriptions during a period of rising costs. However, subscriptions seen as less essential continue to be at risk, emphasising the importance of offering flexible pricing options and ad-supported tiers.
The pronounced decision difficulties and engagement with second screening among younger audiences remain a key challenge in retaining viewer attention for online platforms, while growth among older age groups is limited by a preference for linear TV.
To compete for screen time in video consumption in Germany, brands can cater to the appeal of interactive video entertainment among younger audiences, for example by implementing social features. Since younger Germans look to their peers when looking for something to watch, and frequently recommend video content, networking features can appeal to their sense of interactivity and address their decision difficulties.
Video and TV in Germany – Market Statistics
- Streaming Behaviour in Germany: 48% of Amazon Prime Video users and 37% of Netflix users in Germany use a subscription with ads, underscoring the opportunities for advertisers, in particular among younger audiences.
- Video Consumption Behaviour: Linear TV accounted for 86% of the time over-50-year-olds spent watching video media in 2024.
Video and TV Market Report – What’s Inside?
Key Topics Analysed in this Report
- Streaming Behaviour in Germany: Free and paid-for online platforms used by German consumers to watch video content.
- Use of ad-supported paid-for streaming subscriptions.
- Frequency of watching video during various daily activities, including while eating, cooking, and spending time with friends/family.
- Consumer associations with paid-for online platforms.
- Consumer behaviours regarding video consumption, including decision difficulties, second screening, and scanning QR codes in video ads.
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
This report was written by Jan Urbanek, Principal Analyst at Mintel. Jan joined Mintel in 2020, writing about consumer and market trends in the German consumer technology sector. During his studies, he gained practical experience in quantitative and qualitative market research and in the marketing of electric vehicles. Jan holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration & Economics from TU Dortmund University.
The popularity of ad-supported streaming tiers in consumers’ video consumption behaviour provides new touchpoints for brands. They can leverage ad personalisation to stand out in an increasingly crowded ad landscape.
Jan Urbanek
Princpal Analyst
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- The five year outlook for TV and video
- Market context
- Preference for linear TV among the over-50s slows the shift online
- Graph 1: average daily usage of video media formats (in min), 2021-24
- AI continues to transform media production
- Mintel predicts
- Viewing habits will fragment further
- Extended reality devices will reshape viewing habits in the long run
- Diverse user data will be a key resource in competing for screen time
- Opportunities
- Tap into the reach of ads on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video
- Graph 2: paid-for online platforms used with ads, by age, 2024
- Appeal to 16-34s with flexible subscription options
- Engage younger men with interactive content
- Match content to the diverse viewing habits of 16-34s
- Graph 3: watching video content all/most of the time during selected activities, by age, 2024
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MARKET DRIVERS
- The German economy
- Inflation aftermath persists
- Video entertainment resists fragile financial confidence
- Internet engagement
- Online presence is prevalent across age groups
- Graph 4: internet usage, by age, 2009-23
- Video media consumption gradually shifts online
- Graph 5: average daily usage of video media formats (in min), 2021-24
- The shift from linear to online is largely driven by the under-50s
- Graph 6: average daily usage of video media formats (in min), by age, 2024
- Social media engagement grows among 45-64s
- Graph 7: social media platforms used in the last three months by 55-64s, 2023-24
- Graph 8: social media platforms used in the last three months by 45-54s, 2023-24
- Gaming
- Gaming is a critical screen time competitor…
- …but also offers opportunities to deepen engagement
- Netflix deepens its gaming engagement
- Artificial Intelligence
- Usage of AI grows as hype flattens
- Graph 9: respondents having used Generative AI before, by age, 2023-24
- Graph 10: Google searches for the term “Künstliche Intelligenz”, 2020-24
- Gen AI boosts productivity with video production
- Meta reveals gen AI tool for video creation and editing
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Online platforms used to watch video content
- Screen time competition is set to intensify in Germany
- Social media dominates the free streaming landscape
- Graph 11: free online platforms used to watch video content in the last three months, 2024
- Free video channels have potential to grow but may struggle to stand out
- Don’t overlook the reach of Facebook among 25-44s
- Graph 12: free online platforms used to watch video content in the last three months, by age, 2024
- Netflix and Amazon Prime Video dominate as paid-for platforms
- Graph 13: paid-for online platforms used to watch video content in the last three months, 2024
- Offer flexible pricing to move into consumers’ subscription portfolios
- Younger Germans are most likely to pay for streaming services
- Graph 14: paid-for online platforms used to watch video content in the last three months, by age, 2024
- Over-55s present potential for subscriber growth
- Graph 15: repertoire of paid-for online platforms used to watch video content, by age, 2024
- Tap into nostalgia to grow among Germans aged 55+
- Ad-supported paid-for services used
- Tap into the reach of ads on paid-for streaming services
- Tap into the reach of Netflix’s ad-tiers among German 16-34s
- Graph 16: paid-for online platforms used with ads, by age, 2024
- Prepare for an increasingly fragmented video media landscape
- Online video watching occasions
- Video streaming is a companion during various daily activities
- Graph 17: video streaming occasions, 2024
- Younger consumers’ lives are most intertwined with video entertainment
- Graph 18: watching video content all/most of the time during selected activities, by age, 2024
- Cater to the various viewing occasions of 16-34s
- Use connectivity features to resonate with younger Germans
- Leverage the social value 16-34s see in online videos
- Meta prototypes the future of screens with holographic AR glasses
- Monitor AR Glasses as a future device for video consumption
- Behaviours regarding video consumption
- Capitalise on the second screening of younger Germans
- Second screening extends beyond younger consumers
- Engage younger men with interactive video content
- Graph 19: respondents who like watching video content with interactive features, by age & gender, 2024
- Appeal to younger men with interactive ads
- Tackle decision difficulties
- Young men are VR pioneers
- VR can blend shows, gaming and in-person experiences
- Promote mindful video consumption to appeal to Gen Z
- Associations with paid-for online platforms
- Netflix and Amazon Prime Video lead with popular and range of content in Germans’ eyes
- Leverage strong differentiators to compete
- RTL commits to its local positioning
- RTL Deutschland signs five-year deal with Stefan Raab
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LAUNCH ACTIVITY AND INNOVATION
- Netflix continues to appeal to the gaming community
- Amazon launches Apple TV+ on Prime Video in the US
- YouTube tests conversational AI feature
- Twitch renovates its mobile app to tackle decision difficulties
- Disney strengthens its ties to the gaming community
- Netflix partners with Google to capitalise on second screening
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APPENDIX
- Appendix – abbreviations, consumer research methodology and language usage
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
- Correspondence analysis methodology
- A note on language
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