The streaming leader is losing ground
Netflix remains comfortably in the lead among SVOD services in Belgium and the Netherlands. However, like in other markets worldwide, the streaming giant has faced declining reach and customer churn. In Belgium, in particular, Netflix is losing out to Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and the local provider Streamz. The latter, operated as a joint venture by Telenet and DPG Media, could nearly double its market share since the launch in 2020 in Flanders by serving Belgian customers with Flemish TV shows and international productions from HBO. Meanwhile, in Luxembourg, Netflix is no longer the top streaming provider, but came third after Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ in terms of brand value share.Modifying Benelux’s streaming landscape
There is no doubt that SVOD still generates the highest revenue compared with other video streaming segments both worldwide and in Benelux, yet AVOD is certainly catching up. Also in Benelux, cost is king, with 43 percent of Belgian respondents to a 2023 survey citing cost as their main driver for choosing a certain platform. Moreover, at least one in four Belgians would switch to services with content for free or at reduced price in exchange for watching commercials. Streaming companies have responded to their customers’ desires and diversified their offerings with cheaper ad-supported plans. Local providers also launched this option. For example, since 2020, Dutch users of the local service Videoland can choose between a regular subscription and the less expensive ad-based model. In fact, half of the people interviewed in early 2023 were interested in Videoland content served with ads, and the same trend can be observed with Netflix users in the Netherlands.With an increasing number of both international and regional companies introducing ad-supported tiers, streaming services responded to the changes in consumption habits. Overall, the video streaming market in Benelux is forecast to further grow in the coming years, with Netflix remaining and local providers becoming attractive to customers.
