AI before you buy: More than a quarter of Brits happy to let AI buy on their behalf

• More than a quarter of UK adults are happy for AI to make purchases without their approval
• Three quarters of those who are willing to let AI to purchase for them are happy for AI to spend up to £99, according to new Kingfisher research
• Over half are comfortable with AI shopping assistants recommending products when shopping, with over a third happy for AI to add suggestions to their basket
• 18- to 24-year-olds are most comfortable with embracing AI whilst shopping, with over half happy for AI to make purchases on their behalf
• Close to a third say faster delivery impacts their decisions on where to shop
• The company has partnered with leading futurist Andrew Grill, launching new research which predicts how technology will transform the future of retail 

More than a quarter (28%) of UK adults are happy for AI shopping assistants to automatically make purchases without their permission, as consumer trust in AI shifts from product recommendations to purchases. Of those happy with automated purchases, three quarters (76%) said they’d part with up to £99 – matching the current limit for contactless payments.

New research, commissioned by Kingfisher – the international home improvement company and owner of B&Q and Screwfix in the UK – in partnership with leading futurist Andrew Grill, found over half (58%) of UK adults are happy with AI recommending products when shopping. Over a third (38%) are happy with these recommendations being added to their basket. Digital-native 18- to 24-year-old shoppers are most comfortable with embracing AI whilst shopping, with three quarters (75%) happy with AI recommendations and over half (52%) happy to let AI buy on their behalf. 

The research*, which polled 2,000 UK adults, found speed and convenience are key for shoppers, with nearly half (45%) preferring to shop in store so they don’t have to wait for delivery, while close to a third (32%) say faster delivery impacts their decisions on where to shop for home improvement products. At Kingfisher, partnerships with Deliveroo, innovations like Screwfix Sprint (delivering products in as little as 20 minutes) and B&Q’s 15-minute click and collect service has helped deliver a +11% year-on-year increase in e-commerce sales. Over 93% of online orders are fulfilled in store, meeting customers’ need for speed by utilising stores as omni-channel hubs.

More broadly the research explored how customer demand for in-store technology is changing, whilst the fundamentals of great customer service remain important for home improvement shoppers. Thirty percent of consumers want to see tech that removes friction like ‘smart’ trolleys and baskets that track prices of items automatically, whilst 18% want shelves that self-update with personalised offers, dynamic pricing and stock tracking. However, when it comes to home improvement advice, 45% say a human expert is still their most trusted source.

This supports a future trend Andrew Grill calls ‘phygital stores’– stores combining the hands-on, sensory, trust-building advantages of bricks and mortar retail, with the enhanced insights and personalisation of digital. The research also showed the drivers behind in-person store visits which include wanting to get a better sense of a product’s quality (60%) and being able to browse new products (53%). In the future, on average 42% of Brits would be more likely to visit stores that offer experiences beyond shopping, such as events, demonstrations or workshops. 

The research also shows younger audiences would like future stores to be experience-led, with demand for engaging in-store experiences highest among those aged 18-to-24 (66%), compared with just 17% of those aged 65 or over. Other most-wanted hypothetical features for home improvement stores include a bulb and fixture scanner e.g. an app which tells you the right size of screw, fitting, lightbulb etc. to use (24%); biometric payments (16%); customisation stations (14%) and 3D printing of out-of-stock parts (10%).

Kingfisher is already starting to harness AI with impactful results, both for customers and the business. Innovations such as Hello Casto and Hello B&Q (its first DIY virtual assistants) and Screwfix Lens (the newest visual search technology) have been used hundreds of thousands of times by customers since launch. The Group and its brands are trialling new pilots too, such as AI-powered interactive headsets for in-store colleagues to deliver quicker and more personalised customer service. This could include recommendations on installing an item and alternatives if the product is out of stock. The Group is also exploring how Agentic AI can be used to make customer returns easier and simpler.

At Kingfisher, AI-driven product recommendations and personalisation delivered a +37% year-on-year uplift in its sales, reaching around £80m in H1 25/26 – showing how AI is making a material impact. 

Thierry Garnier, CEO of Kingfisher said: “As the way we shop continues to evolve, customers are embracing technology to deliver greater personalisation, speed, choice, and richer experiences. At Kingfisher, we see our digital ecosystem as fundamental to serving our customers’ rapidly changing needs, seamlessly connecting every part of our offer – from Screwfix Sprint, our 20-minutes delivery service, to Hello Casto, our first DIY virtual assistant, or our marketplace that offers over 2 million  items at B&Q. At the heart of this ecosystem is our store network in communities, which enable fast and convenient fulfilment as well as the opportunity for customers to see and touch products for their home improvement projects while getting expert advice from our fantastic in-store colleagues.”

Futurist Andrew Grill said: “AI shopping agents are no longer science fiction — they’re the next retail revolution. Kingfisher’s research shows shoppers are already more comfortable letting AI make decisions than most retailers realise and makes clear how important speed and convenience are for customers. We’re entering an age of anticipatory retail — where customers expect brands to know what they need before they do, and Kingfisher is at the forefront of the innovations behind this.” 

Kingfisher, in partnership with Andrew Grill, has created an interactive microsite, exploring the home improvement store of the future: Discover the store of the future 

Notes to editors

About Andrew Grill  

Leading Futurist Andrew Grill is a dynamic and visionary tech leader with over three decades of experience steering technology companies towards innovative success. 

Known for his captivating global keynotes, Andrew offers practical and actionable advice, making him a trusted advisor at the board level for companies such as Shell, Dell, Intel, DHL, Nike, Nestle, Bupa, and the NHS.

A former Global Managing Partner at IBM, five times TEDx speaker, and someone who has performed more than 600 times on the world stage, he is no stranger to providing strategic technical advice to senior leaders across multiple industries. 

He is the best-selling author of “Digitally Curious - Your Guide to Navigating the Future of AI and All Things Tech”, and he has interviewed more than 100 technology innovators over the last 6 years on the Digitally Curious podcast. Andrew's unique blend of an engineering background, digital advocacy, and thought leadership positions him as a pivotal figure in shaping the future of technology.

Methodology

*This online survey of 2000 UK Adults (nationally representative on the basis of age, gender, and region) was commissioned by Teneo on behalf of Kingfisher and conducted by market research company OnePoll, in accordance with the Market Research Society's code of conduct. Data was collected between 26th September and 2nd October 2025. All participants are double-opted in to take part in research and are paid an amount depending on the length and complexity of the survey. This survey was overseen and edited by the OnePoll research team. OnePoll are MRS Company Partners, corporate membership of ESOMAR and Members of the British Polling Council.