In its new report ‘Agentic AI and the future of shopping’, the IGD has highlighted the transformative impact this form of artificial intelligence is set to have on shopper’s journeys, with purchasing decisions to become increasingly algorithmic.
Unlike generative artificial intelligence, Agentic AI operates autonomously, and is capable of planning and making decisions to achieve specific outcomes.
With shopping for groceries generally a habitual and repetitive task, it makes it an ideal candidate for this kind of automation.
IGD’s research shows that agentic AI can already:
- Automate basket‑building and replenishment
- Compare prices and availability across multiple retailers
- Optimise purchases for budget, health, and sustainability goals
- Complete checkout without shopper intervention
“Retailers and supplier products risk becoming invisible when AI agents build baskets,” cautioned Toby Pickard, retail futures senior partner at IGD.
“Impulse, emotion, and human discovery are redundant when it is machine visibility, not shelf visibility, that shapes choice.”
Agentic AI solutions are already being put into practice in the US, with examples of autonomous shopping assistants, end-to-end automated purchase flows, and personalised meal-planning agents.
While AI utilisation remains low in the UK, with 3% of UK shoppers currently using AI tools for grocery shopping, the IGD warns that adoption could accelerate rapidly once trust is established.
“People consistently underestimate the long‑term impact of transformative technologies,” said Pickard. “Agentic AI won’t change everything overnight, but once shoppers trust it, convenience becomes the accelerator and habit becomes the lock‑in.”
Predictions on how soon agentic AI will become mainstream in the UK vary, but some experts believe it could be as soon as the end of 2025.
“The uncertainty surrounds when agentic AI will change behaviours, not if. Businesses that start preparing now will help shape how intelligent shopping scales. Those who wait may find the future has already been decided without them,” Pickard added.
