Bitkom-Marktstudie: Unterhaltungselektronik schrumpft weiter – Streaming boomt

In 2026, the German electronics market for entertainment will continue to shrink for the sixth consecutive year, with revenue projected to decrease by 2.4% to 7.6 billion euros. Despite major events like the World Cup boosting sales, intense price cuts and consumer reluctance continue to hurt the industry. The market volume remains below the 2020 record of 9.3 billion euros.

Olaf May, a member of Bitkom's board, noted that larger purchases are being more carefully considered and postponed, or financed through promotions. Television remains the largest market segment, but a 3.5% decline is expected due to aggressive discount campaigns and overall price reduction in the electronics sector. The gaming console market also suffered a 9% decline, mainly because major manufacturers haven't introduced new console generations this year.

Classical audio equipment sales dropped 4%, while other electronics like set-top boxes and Blu-ray players remained flat. Despite economic uncertainty, 61% of streaming users still pay for content, with average monthly spending on subscriptions rising from 17.50 euros to 18.50 euros. Consumer dissatisfaction with new pricing models has grown, with 59% finding it bothersome to pay extra for ad-skipping features.

The rise of AI in entertainment is a major focus of this year's survey, with 91% of the public calling for legal labeling of AI-generated films and shows.