• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, November 7, 2023

Nearly seven in 10 (68%) U.K. consumers agree that they prefer streaming free, ad-supported content over paying for a subscription to an ad-free streaming service, according to an LG Ads Solutions survey of 800 U.K. consumers conducted in August.

In comparison, a similar survey conducted by LG in the U.S. in April found 63% of consumers agreeing with that statement.

A quarter of U.K. respondents reported that they are viewing less linear TV than a year ago.

More than a third of U.K. viewers say they’re concerned about TV costs, and 36% report that they’ve cancelled a streaming service because of economic concerns. Although 86% report paying for one or more subscription services, 55% say they’re willing to cancel a subscription after watching specific desired content.

Twenty percent say they expect to drop a subscription streaming service in the next 12 months, and 13% expect to add a free ad-supported streaming service.

The survey — the second wave of LG’s “Big Shift” research in the U.K. — also found that U.K. viewers are somewhat more likely than U.S. viewers to search online, visit a website and talk about the ad or product after they’ve watched a CTV ad.

Notably, 42% of U.K. TV viewers prefer smart TVs for watching live TV. That reflects availability of live sports in the market, with 53% of viewers watching sports via streaming.

The top-ranked content recommendation source in the U.K. market is the homepage on TV screens (cited by 53%)—surpassing even recommendations from friends/family (43%).

Fully 91% say they multitask with a mobile device or laptop while watching TV, with 64% doing so “always” or “often.” Second-screen activities include messaging (54%), shopping (35%) and gaming (30%).