Netflix subscriber growth in Western Europe threefold that of US

As Netflix spends more on content than the BBC, HBO and the Discovery Channel, the online streaming platform is seeing phenomenal growth across Western Europe – with the UK leading the way.

According to IHS Technology, by 2019 Western Europe subscribers will make up 23% (21 million) of Netflix’s total paying audience (96.5 million), up from 3 million in 2013 – with the UK number more than doubling between 2013 and 2019.

By comparison, between 2014 and 2019 the annual growth of Netflix subscribers in Europe will be double the global average and more than threefold that of the US.

The Netherlands, Germany and Austria are expected to see the fastest adoption rates, growing over 500% between launch and 2019, while the EU is forecast to account for a fifth of Netflix subscribers by 2019 – half the size of the US.

Netflix is expected to continue its dominance in Scandinavia with more than 60% penetration (6.2 million subs), with global penetration expected to reach 11% of broadband households by the end of the forecast period.