Amazon is to introduce adverts to its Prime Video streaming service from 2024, with customers in the UK among the first to have their viewing interrupted unless they pay more to watch ad-free.
Adverts will first appear the UK, US, Germany, and Canada, followed by France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, and Australia later in the year.
The cost to UK customers of removing the adverts has yet to be revealed, however US users will need to pay $2.99 per month to continue watching ad-free.
Prime is just the latest streaming service to introduce adverts – Sky’s NOW service was the first to do so followed by Netflix and, most recently, Disney+.
A spokesperson for Amazon has confirmed that customers will continue to enjoy content in the best picture and sound quality available even if they opt not to pay to remove adverts. They also confirmed that adverts will be introduced to the standalone £5.99 per month Prime Video subscription.
Amazon said: “To continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time, starting in 2024, Prime Video shows and movies will include limited advertisements in the UK.
“We aim to have meaningfully fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers. No action is required for Prime members.
“We’re not making changes in 2024 to the current price of Prime membership. We will also offer a new ad-free option and will share the price of that option at a later date. We will email Prime members several weeks before ads are introduced into Prime Video with information on how to sign up for the ad-free option if they would like.”
