Irish Consumers Cut Back on Video Streaming Subscriptions Amid Rising Popularity, Survey Finds

Pure Telecom, Ireland’s leading provider of high-speed broadband and telecom services, has revealed findings from its annual Connected Lives survey, showing that consumers in Ireland spent $1.2 billion on video streaming services in the past year—a decrease of approximatelly $218 million compared to the previous year. This dip in spending comes despite the growing popularity of video streaming in the country.

The survey, conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Pure Telecom, polled 1,006 adults in Ireland and found that 96% of the population now stream video content, up from 94% last year. However, the research also highlighted a notable rise in the number of adults who no longer pay for a streaming subscription, as well as a decline in the average number of subscriptions per person.

According to the survey, 37% of adults in Ireland have canceled one or more streaming subscriptions in the last 12 months. Among these, 45% cited cost as the primary reason for canceling, while 28% felt the available content was not up to standard. One in five respondents switched to a different service, and an equal number said they discontinued their subscription once a free or discounted trial period ended.

The survey also revealed a significant shift, with 22% of adults in Ireland now reporting they have no paid video streaming subscription, a sharp increase from the 6% who said the same last year. Additionally, the average number of video streaming subscriptions per adult has dropped from 2.4 in the previous year to 1.5 this year.

Another key finding from the research was the prevalence of password-sharing, where individuals use the login credentials of friends or family outside their household to access streaming services. The survey estimates that nearly 615,000 adults in Ireland are using someone else’s password to stream content without paying, even though nearly 400,000 of these users are on platforms that charge extra for password-sharing.

Paul Connell, CEO of Pure Telecom, noted that the company had expected to see an increase in streaming expenditure but instead found that consumers are becoming more selective about which services they choose to pay for. Connell emphasized that, with the near-universal adoption of streaming services, consumers are now more focused on getting the best value for their money. He added that Pure Telecom remains dedicated to delivering high-quality broadband services, enabling users to stream their favorite content with the fastest speeds and most competitive pricing.

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