TV advertising in the United Kingdom - statistics & facts

The United Kingdom is the largest TV advertising market in Europe. Not only that, but the region has also produced many of the most critically acclaimed television spots of the past few years, with John Lewis’ “The Beginner” and Aldi’s “Kevin the Carrot” being just two of the most recent prominent campaigns. Data indicates that the number of TV households in the UK has grown for the better part of the last decade, before reaching an estimated 27 million. TV is also the main traditional channel where people come across ads in the country. Yet, advertisers also must adapt to the ongoing changes in consumer behavior that are primarily impacted by the widespread availability and affordability of video streaming options.

TV advertising trends, traditions, and top dogs

Television advertising spending in the UK reached an estimated 5.4 billion British pounds in 2022, marking a slight decrease from the previous year. The latest forecasts indicate that growth will eventually subside in the future, but even so, the high spending level suggests that television remains a vital asset to advertisers. The little screen’s central role in UK advertising is especially palpable over Christmas, with the arrival of festive ads causing a yearly frenzy across the country. So which companies are investing most heavily in TV promotion, and which channels reap the largest rewards? In 2022, Procter & Gamble was the top television advertiser in the UK based on views, followed by Sky and Unilever. Meanwhile, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported an advertising income of more than 306 million pounds in 2022, marking a 90-million-pound increase from the previous year’s value. When it came to high-hitting industries, food and finance boasted the highest TV ad spending in the UK.

Connected they stand and advertise

The UK's pay TV landscape faces mounting competition from over-the-top (OTT) media and VOD streaming options, leading many advertisers to rethink their strategies and approaches. One of the most widely embraced new advertising interfaces is CTV, or connected TV, which refers to internet-connected devices such as smart TVs, set-top boxes, and game consoles. CTV has become one of the most impactful broadcast innovations of the recent past because it allows viewers to access a much vaster (digital) content portfolio. Advertisers want to reach and target audiences based on their viewing behavior and preferences, and seeing that Netflix is now considered the third-most popular TV channel in the UK, it only makes sense for brands to branch out into the streaming space. Free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) revenue is also growing in the country and is projected to increase at a rate of around 30 percent in the coming years.

TV ads and consumers: between annoyance and memorability

In a survey about attitudes towards TV advertising in the UK, more than one third of Britons said they found TV commercials to be intrusive and annoying. Three out of 10 UK residents also expressed concern about the volume and frequency of ads. Subscription video on demand (SVOD) appears to have made viewers less receptive to ads, with more than half of them saying they were less tolerant of TV commercials as a result of using SVOD services. Despite being considered irksome, survey respondents agreed with finding them more memorable than their digital out-of-home (DOOH) counterparts.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Dec 19, 2023

Key insights

TV ad revenue worldwide
132bn USD
TV advertising revenue in the UK
3.8bn GBP
Total number of TV households in the UK
27.3m
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Television advertisers ranked by broadcast views in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2022 (in billion commercial impacts)

Brands & Leaders

Most-viewed TV advertisers in the UK 2022

Most popular TV channels and video streaming services in the United Kingdom (UK) in 3rd quarter 2023

TV

Most popular TV channels and VOD platforms in the United Kingdom (UK) 2023

Number of TV advertising viewers in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2020 to 2029, by type (in million users)

Traditional advertising

Traditional TV advertising reach in the UK 2020-2029, by type

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Further reportsGet the best reports to understand your industry

Video streaming in the United Kingdom
Video streaming in the United Kingdom
Media usage in the United Kingdom (UK)
Media usage in the United Kingdom (UK)
TV advertising in the United States
TV advertising in the United States
Advertising consumption and perception in the United States
Advertising consumption and perception in the United States
Connected TV advertising in the United States
Connected TV advertising in the United States

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