UK shoppers embrace AI search but reject automated checkout

The study of 2,003 UK participants highlights a widening divide between discovery and execution. While 40% of consumers leverage AI to navigate product options, they ultimately defer to traditional authorities: customer reviews influence 54% of buyers, while friends and family sway 48%. In-store information remains a critical anchor, guiding 45% of final decisions.

Social media faces a similar trust deficit. Although two-thirds of Brits find it easier to discover products on social platforms, 80% explicitly trust dedicated retailer websites more for pricing, product information, and personalized service. Physical stores, meanwhile, have pivoted from simple transaction points to emotional hubs. Roughly 80% of consumers report enjoying in-store browsing, and 83% still use physical locations as a primary discovery channel.

Neilson Hall, Managing Director of Commerce Media at dentsu UK&I, notes that the retail landscape has shifted from a focus on sheer convenience toward a need for guidance. As e-commerce maximizes efficiency, the physical store is evolving into a media environment designed to build confidence. Matthew Higgins, Managing Partner of Retail Media Activation, argues that brands succeeding in 2026 will be those that treat these physical spaces as emotional connectors rather than mere sales floors.