A new study has found that UK consumers are now placing more trust in AI-powered virtual agents for checking product details than traditional retail stores and resale platforms.
The research, conducted by product experience and information management company Akeneo, shows that AI agents have become one of the most trusted sources of product information among UK shoppers, on par with luxury retail brand websites.
Akeneo’s report, Evolution of the Modern Shopper, surveyed 1,800 consumers across eight countries, including the UK, with respondents balanced by age and gender.
According to the findings, over two-thirds of UK consumers (67%) said they trust AI-powered virtual agents when verifying product details. A similar proportion (68%) expressed trust in luxury brand websites. By comparison, 62% rely on retail stores, 54% on resale platforms, and 50% on influencer content. Social media ranked lowest for reliability, with only 31% of shoppers considering it trustworthy.
Akeneo’s CEO, Romain Fouache, said shoppers were “not short on content, but short on clarity”. He noted that customers were increasingly seeking channels that inspire confidence and were willing to pay more when brands provide complete and trustworthy product information. He added that the strongest performers would be those treating product data as a strategic asset and building a single, governed foundation to power every experience, including AI.
The study highlighted that poor product data continues to damage the customer experience, with returns remaining a costly consequence of incomplete or inaccurate information. Shoppers indicated they would pay 25–30% more for products supported by high-quality information, demonstrating that they place clear monetary value on reliable content.
Fouache stressed that shoppers now expect comprehensive details—ranging from size and fit to sustainability credentials and care instructions—and they expect consistency across websites, stores, marketplaces and AI assistants. He said such reliability requires “clean, structured, enriched data that is continuously governed and activated across every channel”.
The report advised brands and retailers to ensure AI systems draw from a single source of truth to avoid inconsistencies that could undermine trust. With 76% of shoppers engaging with multiple touchpoints before making a purchase, discrepancies between channels can lead to confusion, abandoned baskets and increased returns.
Fouache described the findings as a wake-up call for brands and retailers, emphasising that consumers increasingly gravitate towards the most reliable information rather than the most prominent channel. He said businesses that unify, govern and activate their product data can confidently power every customer experience—AI included—and convert trust into growth.
