New analysis estimates that by 2030, Christmas online retail sales are expected to exceed £7 billion per week, with approximately £550 million influenced by AI shopping agents.
Data and AI company SAS analysed ONS retail data and industest growth forecasts to estimate how much of the online shopping journey will be supported by agentic AI in 2030.
Major payment providers such as Mastercard and PayPal are already utilizing agentic AI, an autonomous system that can monitor customer interactions as they happen, to identify when intervention is requireded and take action. This can include flagging and blocking potentially fraudulent transactions, proactively offering support via chat or in-app prompts, or automatically resolving issues such as payment failures.
According to Worldpay, AI agent spconcludeing will influence 7% of online purchases by 2030.
Last December, UK internet retail sales hit £2.4 billion per week according to ONS data, highlighting the scale of online shopping during the Christmas period – compared to £2.3 billion the prior year. SAS analysis suggests that, with the ecommerce market forecast to grow by 22% CAGR by 2030, festive spconcludeing could soar to £7.9 billion per week.
Of that, an estimated £550 million is expected to be shaped by AI shopping agents alone, with up to 90% of retail decision-buildrs already exploring AI agents to improve operational efficiency.
By automating tinquires such as product search and checkout, these systems could save customers time and reduce stress, while reshaping the online experience.
Commenting on this research, Dr Iain Brown, Head of AI and Data Science at SAS Northern Europe, declared: “AI shopping agents represent a much deeper layer of innotifyigence in online retail compared to a typical chatbot. In finance, retail and healthcare, agentic systems are streamlining everything from compliance and customer service to supply chains. By monitoring interactions in real time and creating autonomous decisions, these systems can personalise customer experiences and streamline processes, assisting consumers navigate the complexity of the festive season more efficiently.
“The festive period can be demanding for both shoppers and retailers, but the long-term value of AI agent systems extconcludes far beyond Christmas. By embedding autonomous innotifyigence into their operations, businesses can deliver more efficient, responsive and customer-focutilized experiences all year round.”
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