UK retail traffic from GenAI assistants surges 1200%

UK retail websites have experienced a 1200% increase in traffic referred by generative AI tools over the past year, according to the latest Adobe Analytics H1 2025 Online Spending Report.

The report reveals that consumers in the UK are rapidly turning to generative AI (GenAI) assistants when making shopping decisions, performing tasks such as comparing prices, compiling shopping lists, and researching products. This sharp increase in AI-driven activity represents a significant change in the online retail landscape, with growing implications for how brands operate and position themselves digitally.

Changing consumer behaviour

Adobe Analytics found that not only has the volume of AI-driven shopping traffic grown substantially, but its quality and value have improved. Shoppers arriving at retail sites from AI assistants are now spending 23% more time on site than those who visit via direct entry, social media, or traditional search engines. This increased engagement suggests that AI-generated recommendations are becoming more effective at retaining shopper interest throughout the online buying process.

The research further highlights a considerable improvement in conversion rates from AI-sourced traffic. Between early 2025 and mid-2025, conversion rates from buyers referred by AI assistants doubled. Comparison to previous periods shows the gap between AI and non-AI sourced conversion rates has narrowed substantially. In late 2024, the conversion rate for site visitors from non-AI sources was 89% higher than for those from AI sources. By mid-2025, this difference had diminished to 38%.

These figures indicate that shoppers are quickly building trust in GenAI-powered product discovery and purchasing processes. AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Perplexity are now regularly influencing purchasing decisions and have effectively become personal shopping assistants for many UK consumers.

Implications for brands

As AI-driven search and shopping guidance grow in prominence, brands in the retail sector face new challenges in ensuring their products and marketing campaigns are visible to consumers engaging through GenAI platforms. Traditional strategies for search engine optimisation and digital marketing are evolving as large language models (LLMs) and AI browsing tools increasingly determine which results are displayed to potential buyers.

"The adoption and evolution of AI referrals revolutionises how consumers shop and is likely to soon surpass traditional consumer browsing, unlocking new opportunities in brand access and prevalence through GenAI results," said Vivek Pandya, Lead Analyst at Adobe Digital Insights.

With more consumer journeys beginning and ending within AI-powered apps and platforms, brand visibility within GenAI-generated results is becoming crucial for competitive success and long-term growth.

LLM Optimizer launch

To help address these changes, Adobe has introduced LLM Optimizer, a tool aimed at assisting retailers and marketers in measuring their presence in AI-generated search results. LLM Optimizer can track traffic from LLMs and AI browsers, providing practical guidance to boost discoverability. It analyses how AI platforms retrieve and summarise content, giving brands the insights needed to increase their prominence when shoppers use AI assistants for purchasing decisions.

Adobe's H1 2025 report details several key findings alongside the launch of LLM Optimizer. From mid-2024 to mid-2025, traffic to UK retail sites from AI tools grew twelvefold. Consumers referred by AI also now spend significantly more time browsing, and conversion rates from AI-source traffic have doubled since early 2025. The narrowing of the conversion rate gap between AI and non-AI channels further supports the conclusion that GenAI is establishing itself as a trusted shopping companion for a growing number of UK consumers.

Brands are now expected to review and adapt their digital strategies to optimise for the increasing influence of AI assistants. As the report suggests, the continued progression of GenAI as a point of contact and guidance for shoppers will impact the future direction of retail engagement across the country.