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News
Entertainment subs providers rated worst
Entertainment subscription providers have been ranked the UK’ s worst for payment experience, with customers rating them an average score of just 1.27 stars out of five.
The findings come from Access PaySuite’ s Payment Experience Report 2026, which analysed payment-related customer reviews on Trustpilot across 16 sectors to identify those that have benefited the most from improved payment processes and those where revenue could be at risk.
The entertainment category included TV, film, music and audio subscription services, including Netflix, Disney +, Amazon Prime, Paramount +, Apple TV, NOW, BritBox, Discovery +, Spotify and Audible.
Overall, entertainment subscription providers recorded low customer satisfaction, with an average Trustpilot rating of 1.35 stars only marginally higher than a payment score of 1.27, suggesting payment frustrations are closely linked to broader dissatisfaction.
Payment satisfaction has also fallen
Customers frequently reference problems managing and cancelling subscriptions in reviews, with many feeling misled by streaming services.
5.22 % since 2025, making entertainment subscriptions the worst-performing category year-on-year in the study.
Customers frequently reference problems managing and cancelling subscriptions in reviews, with many feeling misled by streaming services.
The findings come as the UK Government cracks down on misleading subscription
practices, estimated to cost consumers around £ 400 million(€ 466m) every year.
Charities and not-for-profit organisations and gym and fitness providers were also among the lowest-performing sectors for payment experience. While legal firms achieved the strongest feedback.
Jon Reynolds, Head of Product at Access PaySuite, said:“ The entertainment subscription category’ s results highlight the challenges businesses face when managing recurring payments at scale. Customers don’ t just judge the content or service they’ re receiving; they’ re also judging how easy it is to sign up, manage their subscription and cancel when they choose. When those experiences feel difficult or unclear, trust can quickly be lost.”
“ With online reviews playing such an important role in purchasing decisions, payment processes are no longer just an operational concern. They’ re a visible part of the customer experience and increasingly shape how customers talk about brands online.”
BBC, UKTV pick Full Season playout
BBC Studios and its wholly owned subsidiary, UKTV, have selected the European media services provider Full Season to deliver playout services for 53 linear channels and their associated VoD offerings under a new multi-year agreement. The partnership will support the delivery of British programming to audiences across the UK and international markets.
Under the agreement, Full Season will deliver fully managed end-to-end services, including content preparation, playout, VoD workflows and channel delivery.
“ Seamless, high-quality, and resilient service delivery was a key priority for us. Full Season’ s robust infrastructure and proven operational expertise gave us confidence in their ability to support our evolving Global Channels & Streaming business and deliver the reliability our audiences and partners expect,” commented Tim Bertioli, Director of Media Services, BBC Studios.
UK cinemas clamp down on smart glasses
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In response to recent news reports around privacy concerns raised by the increasing use of Meta Glasses and other wearable technology, trade body UKCA Cinema Association has announced plans to prohibit or restrict their use in its members’ venues.
“ In a statement, it said:“ UK cinema operators are aware of the increasing availability and use of wearable technology
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such as smart glasses and the extent to which these can
provide benefits to those with specific access requirements.”
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“ However, they are also mindful of the issues around
privacy and film piracy that arise around the use of such
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technology in cinemas, and as a result many are introducing policies to prohibit and / or restrict the wearing of cameraenabled smart glasses in particular in their venues.”
“ This is clearly a developing area, and we will continue to work with our members to ensure their approach remains relevant and proportionate. The Association will be making no further comment on this issue at this time.”
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