New Study By ShowHeroes And Omnicom Media Netherlands Reveals How Subscription Fatigue Is Reshaping Connected TV Across Europe

24 March 2026

BERLIN, Germany, March 24, 2026 – Europe’s streaming market has reached an inflection point. After years of rapid subscription growth, consumers are drawing a financial line. The next chapter of Connected TV will not be defined by adding more paid services, but by redefining value;  with Open CTV, particularly FAST channels, emerging as a compelling free, ad-supported alternative to SAVOD.

 

A new pan-European study by ShowHeroes and Omnicom Media Netherlands, “The Rise of FAST: Consumer Preferences in Connected TV,” suggests that Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) is no longer a complementary offering within the CTV ecosystem. It is becoming central to it.

Based on a survey of 4,377 respondents aged 18–65 across the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands, the research reveals a structural shift in consumer priorities. European households now maintain an average of two to three paid streaming subscriptions. Yet 58% say they want to reduce subscription costs, and 37% would cancel a paid service if advertising were introduced without meaningful price reductions. When faced with choosing a new platform, viewers consistently favor free, ad-supported options over taking on another monthly fee.

 

This is not a rejection of streaming. It is a shift of consumer priorities.

 

Sarah Lewis, Global Vice President CTV at ShowHeroes, said: “As Connected TV matures, growth is no longer about stacking subscriptions. It is about delivering value in smarter ways. Our research shows Open CTV, particularly FAST channels, is unlocking incremental reach by attracting viewers who refuse to pay more but still demand premium entertainment. In this environment, advertising is not an interruption, it is part of a transparent exchange. That fundamentally changes how brands should think about CTV strategy.”

FAST adoption has now reached 27% across Europe, with the UK and Italy leading at 37% and Spain experiencing accelerated monthly reach growth between 31% and 35%. Importantly, FAST is not confined to casual viewing. It is increasingly prime-time viewing: 62% of users watch in the evening, 57% tune in several times per week, and 66% report high overall satisfaction. More than half say they turn to FAST when they “don’t know what to watch,” positioning it as an antidote to choice overload and subscription fatigue.

Ilhan Zengin, CEO at ShowHeroes Group, added: “Subscription fatigue is not cyclical; it is structural. The European streaming market has reached economic equilibrium. FAST represents the next phase of Connected TV, where scale, engagement and ad acceptance converge. For the industry, this is not simply another distribution channel. It is a rebalancing of the streaming model itself.”

For advertisers, the implications are significant. In France and the Netherlands, more than half of FAST users do not use any SAVOD platform. In Germany, FAST reaches nearly half of viewers who are otherwise invisible to traditional subscription-based advertising. This is not duplicated reach; it is incremental. At the same time, advertising acceptance is measurably stronger in FAST environments compared to paid ad-supported tiers. When content is free, viewers perceive advertising as a fair value exchange, particularly when ads are relevant, concise, and limited to approximately four minutes per hour.

 

The study also points to a broader behavioral transformation. Forty-four percent of respondents say they have replaced some social media or gaming time with FAST viewing. Sports and news consumption are migrating toward ad-supported digital platforms, while near-universal smart TV penetration embeds FAST directly into the home screen. Together, these shifts suggest that FAST is not a temporary response to economic pressure but a durable evolution in viewing culture.

Marit van Zon, Insights Consultant at Omnicom Media Netherlands, commented: “What we are witnessing is a consumer-led correction. Audiences are making rational decisions about value, and they are responding positively to environments where that value exchange is clear. FAST combines high engagement with high receptivity. For brands, that creates an opportunity to connect in moments of genuine attention rather than forced exposure.”

Europe’s streaming market is not shrinking; it is restructuring. As subscription growth plateaus, FAST is emerging as the most scalable driver of incremental reach within Connected TV—bridging cost-conscious consumers with premium content and brand investment. The message from viewers is clear: quality remains essential, but so does fairness. In a maturing ecosystem, free may prove to be the most sustainable model of all.

 

For full insights and country-level analysis, download the complete study HERE.

About ShowHeroes

ShowHeroes is a global leader in CTV and digital video advertising solutions, offering premium publisher partnerships, advanced contextual targeting technology, and innovative creative formats. The company’s SemanticHero AI platform powers campaigns across all screens, enabling brands to reach audiences with unmatched relevance and impact.

Founded in 2016 by Ilhan Zengin, Mario Tiedemann, and Dennis Kirschner with headquarters in Berlin, the company launched ShowHeroes Group in 2020.

Composed of its core brand ShowHeroes, production entity ShowHeroes Studios, and The Digital Distillery, a networking event and content platform, the group operates across Europe, Latin America, and Asia.

 

About Omnicom Media Netherlands

As part of the international Omnicom group, Omnicom Media Netherlands focuses on achieving sustainable growth for advertisers. Based on our “Designed for Growth” vision, we develop integrated media strategies. We do this by combining data, technology, strategy and creativity in tailor-made “Growth Ecosystems”. These intelligent systems ensure maximum impact and structural transformation of marketing activities.

In the Netherlands, we operate with full-service media agencies Initiative, OMD, PHD, UM and social & content marketing agency YUNE. Together, we support advertisers with expertise in strategy, planning, purchasing, data analysis, content and social media to achieve their brand and business objectives from our offices in Amsterdam and Groningen.