First for THG Commerce as it brings Criteo Sponsored Products to AI Shopping Assistant solution
THG Commerce, part of THG Ingenuity, has integrated Criteo Sponsored Products into its AI Shopping Assistant, built using Google Cloud’s Gemini Enterprise. THG Commerce says it is the first commerce technology provider in Europe to bring Criteo Sponsored Products into AI powered conversational search, opening up a new retail media opportunity for retailers and brands.
Retailers can now monetise customer conversations through relevant sponsored product placements. The integration places sponsored and organic product recommendations side by side within the same conversation. Brands can reach shoppers in AI driven discovery moments, when intent is high and recommendations are shaped by the shopper's own words. Early results show sponsored products surfaced through the AI Shopping Assistant reached a click-through rate more than five times the average, and a conversion rate more than double the average.
The AI Shopping Assistant draws keywords and filters from each conversation and turns them into tailored product recommendations. When a Criteo Sponsored Product is eligible and relevant, it appears clearly labelled within the assistant's response alongside organic recommendations, adding to the discovery experience rather than interrupting it.
The same relevance models that power Criteo search advertising, including keyword matching, semantic understanding and strict relevance thresholds, apply in the conversational context. Sponsored recommendations appear only when they match what the shopper has asked for.
The integration builds on THG Ingenuity’s broader partnership with Criteo and on its wider collaboration with Google Cloud. THG Commerce has developed a suite of agentic commerce solutions built on Gemini Enterprise. Alongside the AI Shopping Assistant, these include the AI Stylist, which offers AI powered virtual try-on for beauty, apparel and footwear, and Shopping Assistant Insights, which is available in Gemini Enterprise and helps retailers understand what their shoppers want and how the assistant is serving them. Each is delivered as a plug and play SaaS service, available through Google Cloud Marketplace and able to operate independently of the underlying storefront.
Darren Rajanah, Chief Revenue Officer, THG Ingenuity, says: “More and more, customers start their shopping journey with a conversation, describing what they need, the occasion they're shopping for or the problem they want to solve. That is some of the highest-intent traffic a retailer can have, and until now it has largely sat outside retail media. By bringing Criteo Sponsored Products into our AI Shopping Assistant, we're helping retailers monetise those moments using the infrastructure they already have, while making sure every sponsored recommendation is relevant to what the shopper asked for. As with all our AI capabilities, this works as a standalone service that can integrate with any commerce platform.”
Andy Stephen, Managing Director Retail Media UK, Criteo, says: “Shopping discovery is moving beyond the search box, and retail media needs to evolve with it. By bringing Criteo Sponsored Products into THG Commerce’s AI Shopping Assistant, brands can engage shoppers in high intent moments with relevant, clearly labelled recommendations, while retailers retain control of the experience. This integration extends the value of Criteo Sponsored Products into conversational shopping and creates a new opportunity for retailers to monetise AI led product discovery.”
Maureen Costello, VP of UK, Ireland, and Sub-Saharan Africa at Google Cloud says: “Conversational AI is transforming how consumers discover and buy products online. Built on Google Cloud’s Gemini Enterprise, THG Commerce’s AI Shopping Assistant is setting a new benchmark for agentic retail. By combining our advanced AI capabilities with Criteo’s retail media expertise, THG Commerce is enabling retailers to turn natural shopping conversations into high converting, monetisable discovery moments.”
2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
Retail media will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.
The awards, which celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world, have now closed for entries. 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 2026 shortlists and finalists here.
We received a record number of entries this year and many fantastic examples of technology excellence driving transformative change across the global retail sector.
Congratulations to all those who made it through the initial submission process! It’s now over to our star studded judging panel who will decide the winners to be announced at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London.
The event will be held on Wednesday, 4th November and consist of a drinks reception, three course meal, awards ceremony presided over by award winning stand-up comedian, presenter, actor and broadcaster, Aurie Styla, and after party until 1am.
Click here to book your place at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, 4th November.
