AI is becoming more familiar when shopping
More and more consumers are using AI to find offers and make decisions more quickly. In Germany, 59% now use AI-based chatbots when searching for products, while traditional search engines are becoming less important. Just two years ago, this figure was 23%, which shows the significant change in information behaviour (Capgemini, Consumer Trends Report 2025).
Other studies also show how AI is gradually shaping everyday shopping behaviour. According to the Retail Report 2025 by Adyen, 34% of consumers in Germany now use AI when shopping. This trend is particularly pronounced in younger age groups, where AI is already considered part of the shopping process.
According to a GfK study, openness to automated forms of shopping is growing in parallel. 39% of Germans can imagine having their purchases done by AI shopping agents, with this figure rising to 56% among 30 to 39-year-olds. This trend indicates that consumers are willing to hand over tasks such as product selection or ordering processes to intelligent systems if they function reliably.
How AI helps in everyday shopping
Many consumers find AI helpful when they need to find their way through a wide range of offers. In the Adyen Report, 55% of users report that AI provides them with inspiration more quickly. 61% say that AI makes it easier for them to keep an overview when many offers are active at the same time.
This means that AI works like a personal shopping companion that recognises needs and provides suitable suggestions. Offers such as brochures or product pages remain important, but AI makes them more visible and easier to use.
Why some consumers are still struggling
Despite growing use, many consumers remain unsure. According to a Mintel report, almost 50% of Germans have a positive attitude towards AI, but at the same time 40% consider it dangerous and only around a third trust the results. This reluctance shows how important transparent and comprehensible applications are in order to build trust.
What retailers can learn from the developments
For retailers, it is clear that AI is accepted wherever it noticeably supports consumers and quickly leads to relevant offers. It is important that recommendations remain comprehensible and reliable. At the same time, traditional offer communication remains a central point of orientation. Brochures, digital offer platforms and retailer websites will retain their value, but AI will make them easier to find and more personalised. The result is a shopping process that is less tedious and more strongly characterised by support.