Streaming spend hits fastest growth since 2021 as Brits stay in
Key Points
- UK spending on digital content and subscriptions rose 12.8% year-on-year in May 2026, the fastest rate of growth since August 2021, according to Barclays' Consumer Spend report.
- The growth was driven by returning television including Rivals, Euphoria and Off Campus, plus the conclusion of the Premier League and UEFA Champions League seasons.
- Overall entertainment spending rose 5.8% in May, rebounding from a 0.6% decline in April, helped by box office releases.
- Total UK card spending rose 0.8% year-on-year, returning to growth for the first time in two months, but still trailed CPIH inflation of 3.4%.
- Two in three UK adults (65%) reported making financial adjustments in May, with 45% limiting non-essential purchases.
- The data is based on Barclays card transactions covering 27 April to 22 May 2026, with accompanying research of 2,000 UK adults by Opinium.
British households spent more on digital subscriptions in May than at any point in nearly four years.
Spending on digital content and subscriptions rose 12.8% year-on-year last month, the fastest rate of growth since August 2021, according to Barclays’ latest Consumer Spend report.
The jump came as households continued to prioritise at-home entertainment while keeping a tight grip on day-to-day budgets.
Barclays attributed the surge to a run of returning television, including the second season of period drama Rivals, the third season of Euphoria, and new drama Off Campus. The conclusion of the Premier League and UEFA Champions League seasons also contributed to the increase, the bank said.
The streaming boom formed part of a wider rebound in entertainment spending, which rose 5.8% in May after a 0.6% decline in April.
Barclays linked the recovery in out-of-home spending to major box office releases over the month, naming The Devil Wears Prada 2, The Sheep Detectives and Michael among the draws.
The figures point to a clear split in how consumers are spending on leisure. While Brits returned to cinemas, subscriptions and at-home viewing held firm as a lower-cost alternative, with digital content the single fastest-growing category Barclays tracks.
The entertainment growth ran ahead of the wider spending picture. Overall card spending rose 0.8% year-on-year in May, returning to growth for the first time in two months after a 0.1% decline in April.
That figure still trailed the latest CPIH inflation rate of 3.4%, meaning many households have yet to feel the recovery in real terms.
Essential spending edged up 0.7% over the month, led by an 11.9% rise in fuel, while non-essential spending moved back into positive territory at 0.9%, reversing April’s 0.3% decline.
Despite the uptick, Barclays said most consumers were still adjusting their behaviour.
Two in three (65%) reported making financial adjustments in response to current uncertainty, up from 62% in April. Among them, 45% said they were limiting non-essential purchases and 42% were cutting back on takeaways and meals out.
The bank’s data also pointed to a more forward-looking mindset among savers. Of those reducing discretionary spending, 57% said they were doing so to offset rising essential costs, while 35% said their main motivation was to build a savings buffer.
Barclays said the appetite for at-home content could be sustained into next month with the return of House of the Dragon and a new Netflix adaptation of Harlan Coben’s I Will Find You, though both will compete for attention with the arrival of the World Cup.
The figures are based on Barclays’ card spending data covering 27 April to 22 May 2026, compared against the same period a year earlier.
Barclays processes nearly 40% of the UK’s credit and debit card transactions. The accompanying consumer research was carried out by Opinium between 22 and 26 May, surveying 2,000 UK adults.
