Nearly two-thirds of UK consumers are interested in using agentic shopping tools, but concerns around security, privacy and AI making purchases without approval continue to slow adoption, according to new research from Commerce and PayPal.
The study, conducted by Logica Research, surveyed 1,000 online shoppers across the UK and found that 64% are interested in trying agentic shopping tools, defined as AI-powered assistants that can research products, compare options and make purchases on a shopper’s behalf.
While only 21% of UK consumers currently use AI tools to help with online shopping, 70% say they want AI tools to help with their shopping in the future.
The primary appeal lies in helping consumers find better value. Nearly a third (31%) say they would like AI to make it easier to find the retailer with the best price, while 28% want help finding every available promotion and discount. A further 23% would like AI tools to alert them when a product can be found elsewhere at a better price.
Among consumers who do not currently use AI for shopping, 62% say they plan to try AI-powered shopping tools within the next year.
The findings suggest shoppers are increasingly comfortable with AI supporting product discovery and comparison, but remain cautious about handing over purchasing decisions entirely.
More than four in ten (43%) consumers are concerned about AI purchasing a product without their approval, while 39% worry about bank account security breaches. Nearly a third (32%) fear AI could purchase the wrong product and 29% cite concerns about privacy violations or personal data breaches.
Consumers also have high expectations when it comes to payment security. More than eight in ten (83%) say AI shopping tools should provide payment security that is as good as, or better than, existing payment methods.
Accuracy and transparency remain important considerations. Among consumers who do not currently use AI shopping tools, one in five question the accuracy of the information provided. Meanwhile, 55% say it is important that sponsored content and advertising are clearly identifiable, while 46% believe brands and retailers should not be able to pay to receive preferential treatment from AI shopping tools.
When asked which organisations they would trust to provide safe agentic shopping experiences, consumers expressed similar levels of trust in technology companies such as Google and Apple, online payment providers such as PayPal, marketplaces including Amazon and Etsy, and traditional payment providers such as Visa and Mastercard.
Andrew Norman, General Manager EMEA at Commerce, said:
“The report reveals that UK shoppers see the potential for agentic commerce to help them compare products, identify cost savings and find available discounts.
“Retailers have a prime opportunity, provided they can build trust and transparency into the experience. This means creating shopping journeys that help consumers make informed purchasing decisions while retaining control over the checkout process and ensuring the recommendations they receive are accurate, transparent and reliable.”
The findings add to a growing body of research suggesting agentic commerce is moving rapidly from concept to reality. Earlier this month, research from Accenture found that 45% of UK consumers would allow AI agents to switch brands on their behalf if better value or convenience was available, while 71% would trust AI to manage tasks such as returns, refunds and reordering.
The study also follows a number of recent developments in the sector. Hey Savi recently launched what it described as the UK’s first agentic commerce platform with native PayPal checkout capabilities, while Cosmo5 unveiled Agentic Retail Radar, a new methodology designed to help brands improve visibility within AI-powered shopping experiences.
Together, the developments suggest the conversation is shifting beyond whether consumers will use AI to shop and towards how retailers, technology providers and payment companies can build trust, transparency and discoverability within increasingly AI-driven purchasing journeys.
