Bambuser research: many British consumers expect AI and technology to replace physical shopping experience
A new report from Bambuser, launching today at the start of Shoptalk Europe in Barcelona, reveals the online shopping habits of UK consumers. Its survey of 1,000 people uncovered that 56% of Brits expect AI and technology to replace the social experience of physical shopping, with 74% of Gen Z also agreeing with the prediction.
Deals and price comparison were cited as the number one reason for why consumers currently use AI tools like ChatGPT for shopping.
“We are entering a new era of agentic commerce. Over the past 20 years, e-commerce has been built on a simple assumption that humans browse websites, discover products, and make purchasing decisions. That assumption is starting to change. Now, instead of searching for hours on websites or waiting for ads on social media, consumers are using AI to find bargains and inspiration. It’s faster, more convenient, and tailored,” says Maryam Gharemani, CEO at Bambuser.
Insights on the prevalence of live shopping, a practice where shoppers watch livestreams of products being promoted or sold online, showed the format was more popular among younger British consumers with 40% of Gen Z saying they engage in the format. Other key findings":
35% of 30-44’s have tried live shopping, while 66% of all respondents say they are open to trying it
68% of respondents say that they are more likely to buy a product after watching a video
35% of respondents spend over an hour per day shopping online for clothes and beauty products
Gen Z spend the most amount of time online shopping, with 62% dedicating more than an hour per day
45% respondents have not gone shopping in-person for over a month
2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
AI will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.
The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.
Check out our 2025 winners here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
