British shoppers signal shift from physical stores to AI-driven retail

Over half of British consumers now anticipate that artificial intelligence will effectively replace the social experience of traditional in-person shopping. According to a new report from Bambuser, this sentiment is even more pronounced among younger generations, with 74% of Gen Z predicting a complete transition toward automated, tech-led retail habits.

The survey of 1,000 UK participants highlights a fundamental change in how people discover and purchase goods. While e-commerce has historically relied on manual browsing, shoppers are increasingly turning to AI tools like ChatGPT to bypass hours of searching, prioritizing speed and personalized bargain hunting. Maryam Gharemani, CEO at Bambuser, describes this as the dawn of "agentic commerce," where consumers delegate discovery and decision-making to intelligent agents.

Live shopping is also gaining traction, particularly among younger demographics; 40% of Gen Z and 35% of those aged 30–44 have already adopted the format. The data suggests that visual engagement is a powerful conversion driver, with 68% of all respondents reporting they are more likely to complete a purchase after watching a video. These behavioral shifts coincide with a decline in brick-and-mortar activity, as 45% of respondents confirmed they have not visited a physical store in over a month.