Food & Drink Award: Karan Chanana

Highlights

• 19 per cent of subscribers do not utilise every platform they pay for, with unused Netflix and gym apps draining bank accounts.
• 31 per cent of Britons plan to review and cancel unused services following Christmas spending squeeze.
• New consumer protections coming later this year will require companies to remind customers about active subscriptions.

British households could save up to £400 a year by cancelling forgotten subscription services, with families spending as much as £1,200 annually on unused streaming platforms, fitness apps and delivery memberships, according to new research.

A Nationwide survey has revealed that millions are paying for "zombie" subscriptions—neglected exercise apps or unwatched Netflix accounts—with recurring charges quietly draining money from bank accounts each month.