From product research to delegated shopping
Mastercard published research on 13 October based on an online survey of 13,000 pairs of 13-to-18-year-olds and parents across 13 European markets. It found 79% of young respondents and 70% of parents had used AI to research products in the previous year. Monthly use was reported by 62% of young people and 49% of parents. The fieldwork was conducted by Opinium in June and July 2026.
Trust requirements for agentic commerce
The report considers how AI could move from comparison and basket preparation toward purchases made on a user’s behalf. Mastercard says adoption will depend on verifiable agent identity, clear authority, spending limits, approval controls and remedies for incorrect or unexpected transactions. It also argues that retailers will need machine-accessible information on price, availability, delivery and returns, backed by supportable product claims.
What it means for merchants
Merchants should make inventory, total price, delivery and returns data structured and current, while keeping human-readable terms aligned. Any agent-enabled checkout should record the customer’s authority, spending boundaries and approval event before payment.
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Mastercard Newsroom · 13 Oct 2026This brief summarizes the linked primary source. Claims and reported figures have not been independently audited by Payment Guide.