41% of British people over the age of sixteen have listened to a podcast in the last month. Or at least so reckons Edison Research, which last week published a report called 'The Infinite Dial 2021 UK', sponsored by Bauer Media and Spotify.
Based on a survey of 1000 people, Edison Research estimates that 71% of people in the UK are familiar with the wonderful world of podcasts, while 59% have listened to at least one podcast programme at some point.
In terms of regular podcast consumption, not only have 41% of people listened to a podcast in the last month, but 25% have tuned in to at least one podcast in the last week. That is similar to podcast consumption rates in the US, the researchers note, although it's estimated that 29% of Americans listen to podcasts on a weekly basis.
Beyond podcasting, Edison Research says that 75% of British people over the age of sixteen engage with online audio of some description each month, with 66% tuning in at least once a week. As for the devices they are using for that online audio consumption, well, 25% of the population have a smart speaker.
Head Of Studios at Spotify UK and Ireland, James Cator, says of the research: "The first 'Infinite Dial' report for the UK is a clear demonstration that consumers' habits when it comes to audio consumption have changed rapidly, and are continuing to do so. As the UK's most popular audio platform, Spotify is a key part of driving and delivering this change - as we're seeing in podcast consumption in particular".
Meanwhile Bauer COO Graham Bryce notes what advertisers can learn from the stats, adding: "The 'Infinite Dial' research offers a unique insight into the consumption of digital media in the UK and highlights the growing opportunity audio provides commercial partners as a transparent and brand safe environment combined with data-led digital audio advertising at scale".