Af Morten Suhr Hansen
At Subscrybe, we are deeply passionate about subscriptions. We help Danish companies and organizations strengthen their subscription and membership businesses. Naturally, understanding consumer perspectives on subscriptions is crucial to our work.
That’s why we recently conducted the largest survey to date on the subscription movement across Scandinavia. We surveyed 1,000 Danes, 1,000 Norwegians, and 1,000 Swedes about their subscription habits and opinions. How many subscriptions do they have? What do they think of them? Which subscriptions are the most popular in each country? We’ve published the findings in the report Scandinavian Subscription Survey 2024, which you can explore right here.
This report is actually the second of its kind. We conducted the first survey back in 2020, hence it’s exciting to see how things have evolved. Is the subscription movement still on the rise in Scandinavia? You can find out in the report, but let me share a few key insights with you here.
Danish households alone spend DKK 218 billion annually on subscriptions
The good news is that we, as consumers, love our subscriptions! Back in 2020, the average household in Scandinavia had 17 subscriptions. In 2024, that number has risen to 20. Both Danish and Swedish households have 20 subscriptions on average, while Norwegian households lead with 21.
Danes, however, take the top spot when it comes to spending on subscriptions in monetary terms. A Danish household now spends DKK 6,500 per month on their 20 subscriptions, or DKK 78,000 per year. When multiplied across all households, this means Danes are spending a total of DKK 218 billion on subscriptions annually – and that’s just private households. Business subscriptions are on top of that.
So, it’s fair to say the subscription economy has matured!
But what do we anticipate for future consumption? Will we continue to increase our number of subscriptions? There is broad agreement among Scandinavian households that we will. 49.7% of our respondents believe that we will subscribe to more products and services in the future, owning fewer items. Only 16.5% believe the opposite. So, there’s no reason to think the growth of the subscription economy is slowing. On the contrary.
Both supply and demand drive the significant growth
Why are we seeing this growth right now? There’s no doubt that the range of subscription options is expanding. Since our first survey in 2020, companies like Matas and Nordisk Films Biografer have joined the subscription trend. And the streaming world has exploded with options.
At the same time, consumers are happy with their subscriptions—especially when subscription companies meet our expectations as consumers. It should be easy to sign up for a subscription and just as easy to cancel. Customer service should be excellent, and subscribers appreciate rewards for their loyalty.
Are there any challenges for companies offering subscriptions? Absolutely. There is a growing segment of subscription consumers who have become more skeptical and, above all, more price-conscious. In fact, price is now the leading reason for canceling a subscription. The percentage citing price as the primary factor has risen from 24% in 2020 to 51% in 2024.
With increasing competition from other subscription companies and a more discerning, price-sensitive subscriber base, only the most skilled subscription operators can expect continued success.
Delve deeper into the report to discover the largest subscription sectors
The above is just a small sample of what you’ll find in our report. We dive much deeper into some of the technical aspects of running a subscription business. What subscription durations do people prefer? What payment methods are most popular? And what impact do free trials have on new subscribers?
We also explore both industries and companies. Which sectors are the largest, and which subscriptions are the most popular in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden?
So, brew yourself a big cup of coffee and dive into the many insights on the subscription movement in Scandinavia.
Finally, a big thank you to the two companies that partnered with us to make this survey possible: Billwerk+ and Vipps MobilePay. This wouldn’t have been possible without them.
