Nine in ten UK streamers now watch advertising-supported services each month, according to research commissioned by Roku, which says almost a third of streaming viewers can no longer be reached through traditional terrestrial or satellite television.
Roku’s first UK VOD Evolution study estimates that 47 million UK adults, equivalent to 89% of television viewers, now stream television. Among streamers, 32% say they watch exclusively through streaming services and have no aerial or satellite connection.
The research on behalf of the technology to content platform found UK streamers watch an average 26 hours of television each week, of which 14 hours are spent with advertising on broadcaster VOD, ad-supported subscription services or free ad-supported streaming television.
Roku calculates that 52% of television viewing among those surveyed is now through ad-supported streaming, although the figure is based on respondents’ claimed viewing rather than passive audience measurement.
Some 90% of streamers said they use an ad-supported streaming service at least monthly. This includes 62% using broadcaster VOD, 77% watching ad-supported SVOD tiers and 28% using AVOD or FAST services. The categories overlap.
Streaming is also increasingly being used for linear television. Roku found 62% of streamers watch live or linear channels, including FAST services, through streaming, while 70% use features on their television home screen to discover programmes.
The study also points to connected TV advertising becoming more interactive. Some 67% of streamers said they had taken an action after seeing a television advertisement, ranging from searching for further information or scanning a QR code to adding an item to a shopping basket or making a purchase.
“Ad-supported streaming is no longer the incremental line at the bottom of a TV plan,” said Mike Shaw, Director, EMEA Ad Sales at Roku. “For a third of UK streamers, it’s the only way to reach them at all.”
The research was conducted by Fuse Insights for Roku in June among 2,339 UK adults aged 18 or over who use the internet and had watched television during the previous month. Of these, 2,079 were classified as television streamers.
Source: https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2026/10/07/ad-supported-streaming-reaches-90-of-uk-streamers/
