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Key findings
- Just 22% of Britons say they trust AI in retail settings, while 37% say they don’t.
- Adults aged 18 to 24 are the most trusting (34%), while those aged 55 and over are the least (14%).
- Men (25%) are more likely than women (18%) to say they trust AI in retail.
- 66% trust AI to compare prices, the most trusted use case.
- Only 11% trust AI to place orders for them.
- Trust in AI is lower in retail than in sectors like tech and entertainment.
AI in retail earns modest trust from UK consumers
According to YouGov survey data, only 21% of Britons say they trust AI in the retail sector, combining 2% who say they trust it a lot and 19% who trust it somewhat. Meanwhile, 37% say they don’t trust it (17% do not trust much, 20% do not trust at all), and the rest are either neutral (29%) or unsure (13%).
Compared to other sectors, retail falls in the middle of the trust spectrum. Technology leads with 28% expressing trust, while financial services rank lowest at 15%.
Age and gender differences in trust in AI retail tools
Younger adults are significantly more open to AI in retail than older age groups. Among those aged 18 to 24, 6% say they trust AI in retail a lot and 28% say somewhat, for a total of 34%. Among 25- to 34-year-olds, 28% express trust, followed by 30% among those aged 35 to 44. Trust levels drop off among older age groups: just 18% of 45- to 54-year-olds and 14% of those aged 55 and over say they trust AI in retail.
Older Britons also show higher levels of outright distrust. Among those aged 55 and over, 19% say they do not trust AI in retail much and 24% say they do not trust it at all. This contrasts with 17% and 18%, respectively, among the youngest age group (18-24).
Gender differences are also present. Men are more likely than women to trust AI in retail (25% vs. 18%), while women are slightly more likely to say they don't know (15% vs. 10%).
Brits trust AI to help compare prices, but not to take action
When asked about specific retail applications of AI, Britons show high comfort with AI as a research or support tool, but not as a decision-maker. Two-thirds (66%) say they trust AI to compare prices across stores. Just over half (54%) trust it to help them find items, and about 43% trust it to suggest personalised deals. Slightly fewer (42%) are comfortable with product recommendations.
Trust declines for more active or service-based roles. Fewer than one in three (30%) trust AI to handle customer service tasks such as delivery updates or order issues. Only 11% say they trust AI to place orders on their behalf, making it the least trusted function in the list.