Amazon UK will charge more for ad-free Prime Video from February

Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon

Ahead of the same change coming to the US, Amazon UK has begun informing customers they will see ads in Amazon Prime Video, unless they pay more.

As revealed in September 2023, Amazon has been planning to show what it calls "limited" advertising during shows and movies. At the time, the company only said it would "be introduced in US, UK, Germany, and Canada in early 2024."

There is still no date for the US version, but customers in the UK have begun receiving an email notification that says when the adverts will begin.

"Starting February 5, Prime Video movies and TV shows will include limited advertisements," says Amazon UK in an email rolling out to users and seen by AppleInsider. "This will allow us to continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time."

Detail from the Amazon UK email

"We aim to have meaningfully fewer ads than ad-supported TV channels and other streaming TV providers," it continues. "No action is required from you, and there is no change to the current price of your Prime membership."

However, there can be a change to the current price if users choose so. "We will also offer a new ad-free option for an additional 2.99 [pounds Sterling, about $3.78] per month," says Amazon.

"Live events, such as sports, and content offered through Amazon Freevee will continue to include advertising," it notes.

Amazon's UK operation covers more than the United Kingdom itself, it fulfils orders from related territories such as the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, plus the entirely separate Republic of Ireland. The email notes that users in these regions "won't see ads in their experience at this time."

In its initial announcement in September 2023, Amazon said that it would introduce ads to France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, and Australia later in 2024.

Amazon's move follows Netflix's decision to drop its lowest-cost Netflix Basic option, and replacing it with a "Basic with Ads" version.

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6 Comments

J0na17anT98

said about 3 months ago

“and there is no change to the current price of your Prime membership."

I don’t think Amazon understands that this statement is completely false. The price HAS changed by adding advertisements. Something that was once included at no extra cost now costs extra. So while the number itself hasn’t changed, it effectively has reduced the value of Prime because I am now paying more for less.

Nice job Amazon…

entropys

said about 3 months ago

At least in my country cable was originally ad free. Now it is as bad as FTA TV. And you pay on top. It is inevitable that sociopathic Harry Ellis type MBA weenies convince themselves they can do ads and charge for the service at the same time.

dinkydogs

said about 3 months ago

AppleInsider said:

There is still no date for the US version, but customers in the UK have begun receiving an email notification that says when the adverts will begin.

I'm in the US and got an email on Dec 26 saying this will start on January 29.

chasm

said about 3 months ago

This is also going to be happening in Canada, starting Feb. 5th.

davidw

said about 3 months ago

J0na17anT98 said:

“and there is no change to the current price of your Prime membership."

I don’t think Amazon understands that this statement is completely false. The price HAS changed by adding advertisements. Something that was once included at no extra cost now costs extra. So while the number itself hasn’t changed, it effectively has reduced the value of Prime because I am now paying more for less.

Nice job Amazon…

I don't think you quite understand the difference between the seller "price" and your "cost". They are not the same.

If the seller "price" of an item is $10 but you have to pay 8% sales tax on the item, then the item will "cost" you $10.80, but the "price" of the item was still $10.

"Price" is the value the seller sells the product (or service) for. Your "cost" is what you eventually "pay" after adding things like sales tax, shipping, cost for extended warranty, insurance, etc. and if you want to, include things like personal time and labor, feeding the parking meter, gas, bus fare and other "cost" you had in order to make the purchase. But none of these "cost" changed the "price" of the item. The seller can only determine the "price" of the item. The buyer's "cost" can vary depending on what the buyer wants to include into their "cost" of buying the item. It's call the " total cost of ownership", not the "total price of ownership".

So Amazon is 100% correct in stating that their "price" for a Prime membership did not change. (it hasn't) It's your "cost" (for the membership) that had change. And that change in "cost", would not be the same for Prime members that don't watch any Prime Video. So you can't say that the addition of advertising in Prime Video changed the "price" of Prime membership, when it's the same "price" as before they added advertising. But you have every right to say that for you, the value of a Prime membership has decreased because of the added "cost" (to you), of having to see ads while watching Prime Video. And the "price" of a Prime membership without ads in Prime Video, did change. It did increase.