From click to agent: the next shift in European commerce

E-commerce has evolved relentlessly over the past two decades, from desktop to mobile, from search to social, from browsing to buying. A new transformation is now emerging: agentic commerce.

Defining agentic commerce: AI as an active agent

In the agentic commerce model, AI no longer merely assists users; it acts autonomously on their behalf. AI agents are expanding beyond product recommendations to perform complex purchasing tasks.

Current AI capabilities in commerce include:

  • Product recommendations
  • Search and comparison of products
  • Price negotiation
  • Transaction execution
  • Post-purchase customer service management

Sopra Steria conducted the first European-led benchmark study on consumer attitudes toward agentic commerce.

The survey included:

  • 8,400 consumers interviewed across the study
  • 8 European countries represented in the research

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From click to agent: the next shift in European commerce
[00:00] Agentic Commerce. [00:05] AI that doesn't just recommend, it buys. Agentic AI is on the verge of deployment across Europe, a market worth [00:13] a potential 310 billion euros. Consumers are interested, but cautious. 55% already know about Agentic Commerce, but awareness varies by country [00:25] and is strongest in Northern Europe. 74% of European consumers face friction when buying online. Agentic Commerce changes that: better [00:36] decisions, quicker turnaround, lower cost. But trust is everything. 94% of consumers want to stay in control. They want AI [00:49] to assist, not decide. Agentic Commerce holds the potential to transform retail. Whether it fulfills that potential remains to be [00:59] seen, but the shift from click to agent has begun. Download the report now.

Key findings: Market size, consumer readiness, and trust

  • The estimated value of e-commerce transactions to be made via by agentic commerce in Europe within just 10 years is €310 billion.
  • 55% of Europeans have already heard of agentic commerce, with 13% saying they understand it well.
    • 74% of online shoppers report at least one pain point in their purchasing journey.
    • Key issues include product discovery (46%) and comparison (44%).
  • 94% of consumers still prefer to approve each transaction before an AI agent executes it on their behalf.
    • 27% of consumers identify banks as the most trusted providers of AI shopping agents.
    • 10% identify technology companies as trusted providers.
    • 6% identify retail companies as trusted providers.

    Strategic questions for industry leaders

    The emergence of agentic commerce raises the following strategic questions for businesses:

    • Customer ownership: Who will own the customer relationship in an agent-driven commercial ecosystem?
    • Brand visibility: Will brands remain visible to consumers, or will AI intermediaries filter brand selection?
    • Regulatory and trust factors: How will trust, transparency, and regulatory frameworks shape adoption across Europe?
    • Sector-specific disruption: Which sectors will experience disruption first, and which industries will prove more resistant to agentic commerce?
    • Value chain evolution: What role will payments infrastructure, financial institutions, and digital platforms play in the emerging agentic commerce value chain?

    The competitive landscape shift

    The battleground for commerce is shifting from websites and mobile applications to algorithms and AI agents as the primary commerce interface.

    Organisations that understand and anticipate this shift will shape the next era of commerce, while others will need to adapt to leadership established by early movers.

    The question is no longer whether agent trading will become established in Europe, but rather who will provide the agent and what the nature of the service's operational model will be.

    Mung-Ki Woo

    Chief Operation Officer, Financial Services, Sopra Steria

    Explore the full report to understand how AI agents will reshape commerce and how to position your organisation now

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