Amazon Prime Video will begin showing adverts from next month – unless customers pay more to remove them.

The online giant is following in the footsteps of other streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+ in introducing advertisements among its films and television shows.

Amazon says the change will allow it to ‘continue investing in compelling content’ and to continue that investment over a longer period of time.

While it currently remains unclear as to exactly where and when adverts will appear, in a message to subscribers the streaming giant said it aims to have ‘meaningfully fewer ads’ than television and other streaming providers.

Adverts will begin appearing on Prime Video from Monday, February 5.

However customers who wish to remove them can do so by increasing the amount they pay each month and subscribing to a new package called Prime Video Ad Free.

The cost will be an extra £2.99 a month on top of their existing plan – or the equivalent to another £35.88 a year.

This takes the current £95 yearly Amazon Prime subscription to just over £130 for those who wish to clear the adverts from between their programmes. Prime Video Only subscribers and Prime Students will too have to pay more should they want to remove the advert breaks.

Live events, such as sports, alongside content offered through Amazon Freevee, will continue to include advertising as normal even for customers who choose to pay more for an ad-free subscription.

Customers wanting ad-free videos can sign-up now through their account on the Amazon website and will be charged the extra money when the changes take place on Monday.