Amazon Prime Video to have ads in UK from February

Amazon has announced its decision to introduce advertisements to its Prime Video streaming service starting on February 5th 2024. Customers in the UK and Germany will encounter “limited” ads unless they opt to pay £2.99 per month to have them removed. In response to market trends, other streaming platforms like Disney+ and Netflix have previously introduced more affordable ad-supported memberships in light of price increases.

Amazon justified the introduction of ads, stating that it would “allow us to continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time.” The company emphasized its commitment to providing “meaningfully fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers” in an email sent to its customers.

It’s important to note that, even for users who choose to pay for an ad-free experience, live content such as sports will still include advertising. In the United States and Canada, ads will appear starting January 29, and Amazon has plans to extend this feature to France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, and Australia later in 2024.

Notably, UK customers might find themselves in a less favorable position regarding the ad-free pricing, as German customers will pay €2.99 (£2.60), and U.S. customers will pay $2.99 (£2.35).

The introduction of ads comes after several announcements from Amazon about future content.