Mother’s Day Flower Sales Surge As AI Begins To Reshape How Brits Buy Gifts

Mother’s Day flower sales in the UK have surged by 67%, highlighting both the enduring popularity of traditional gifts and the rapidly growing influence of artificial intelligence in shaping how consumers shop.

New data released by payments technology company Checkout.com shows that flowers remain one of the most sought-after purchases during the Mother’s Day period. However, the way those gifts are being selected and purchased is evolving quickly as AI tools become increasingly embedded in the retail experience.

According to the research, younger consumers are particularly open to allowing artificial intelligence to handle parts of the purchasing process. Around 70% of younger shoppers say they would be willing to let an AI assistant complete a purchase on their behalf, signalling a major shift in how retail transactions may take place in future.

The findings highlight a growing trend towards so-called “agentic commerce”, where AI systems can identify suitable products, complete purchases and manage payment flows automatically. For retailers, this means the traditional battle to improve website conversions is evolving into a technological race to ensure payment systems can support machine-to-machine transactions reliably and securely.

Checkout.com said the spike in Mother’s Day spending also reflects two distinct consumer behaviours — planners who buy early and last-minute shoppers who purchase gifts close to the day itself — both contributing to sharp surges in demand during the seasonal peak.

For retailers and online florists, the data underlines the continued commercial importance of seasonal events such as Mother’s Day, while also signalling that the future of gifting may increasingly be influenced by AI-powered shopping assistants.

As the technology becomes more widely adopted, the companies best positioned to capture peak-season spending will be those able to support seamless automated purchasing — whether the buyer is a human shopper or an AI acting on their behalf.