Sopra Steria research flags the rise of agentic commerce within European online retail space

Up to €310 billion of UK and European e‑commerce transactions could be AI assisted within the next ten years, according to research published by Sopra Steria.

This is based on a survey of 8,400 consumers across eight European countries and flags the rise of AI agents autonomously managing the entire transaction journey, from research and negotiation through to purchase, delivery terms and after‑sales service.

The research suggests this shift will be driven less by technology than by trust. Across Europe, 41% of consumers say they do not yet trust any single organisation to provide them with an AI shopping agent, underlining the scale of the challenge facing retailers, platforms and tech providers.

The UK emerges as Europe’s most ready market for agentic commerce, but also one of its most demanding. Key UK insights include

• High readiness: 50% of Britons shop online weekly, compared with 36% in Germany and under 20% in France and Spain

• Value over principle: Only 20% of UK consumers say they would pay for an AI shopping agent, compared with 30% in Germany

• Financial anxiety: 57% fear loss or theft of bank details, and the same proportion worry about losing control over spending

• Selective delegation: UK consumers are most willing to delegate practical purchases; energy (37%), insurance (36%) and electronics (35%), but just 13% would trust an agent with health or food shopping

Mung Ki Woo, Chief Digital & Innovation Officer, Financial Services Division, Sopra Steria Group, says: “Banks are genuinely well-placed to win in agentic commerce - and the timing could not be better, given how early-stage the market still is and how strong consumer interest already is.”

“Two priorities stand out: adapting payment infrastructure to handle agent-initiated transactions, and developing merchant-facing verification services to bring confidence to this new purchasing channel. On both counts, banks’ credibility with consumers is already there. The task now is to build the offering to match.” 

Ayman Awada, Executive Director, Financial Services Division, Sopra Steria Group, says: “Our study makes one thing clear: the problem in Europe is not a lack of interest. It is a lack of trust - and that is precisely where everything is at stake. Forty one per cent of Europeans do not trust any actor today to provide them with a shopping agent.”

“That gap is a signal: the market is open, positions are not yet fixed, and it will be those who can build lasting, transparent and genuinely user centred trust that will prevail. The finding on banks is telling: in the race for agentic commerce, the decisive competitive advantage is not the power of the AI model - it is the legitimacy consumers grant you.”

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.