{"id":8923,"date":"2026-09-04T10:16:17","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T08:16:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.corteparma.it\/?p=8923"},"modified":"2026-09-04T11:00:17","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T09:00:17","slug":"the-third-shelf-of-food-when-ai-makes-the-choice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.corteparma.it\/en\/the-third-shelf-of-food-when-ai-makes-the-choice\/","title":{"rendered":"The third shelf of food: when AI makes the choice"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Almost 24% of European consumers aged 18\u201334 have already used AI for grocery shopping<\/strong><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Artificial intelligence is entering one of the most important stages of the purchasing process<\/strong>: the moment when consumers search for information, compare products and decide which ones to consider.<\/p>

In Europe, 38% of consumers use AI tools to research products or services and inform their purchasing decisions. Some 63% use them to compare brands, products, prices and reviews; 55% to learn more about a category or product; and 46% to discover new products and find inspiration.<\/p>

In grocery, 12% of European consumers have already used AI for food shopping. Among them, 37% use it to research specific products, 40% to plan meals, and 36% to find prices or recipes that match their dietary needs.<\/p>

This is where a new competitive space for food products is emerging: the third shelf<\/strong>. Alongside the physical shelf in stores and the digital shelf of e-commerce, AI introduces another environment in which a product can be searched for, compared and selected<\/strong>.<\/p>

When consumers ask an AI which products to buy, which ingredients to choose, which food to use for a specific recipe or which product meets a particular dietary need, AI can provide a selection of products<\/strong>.<\/p>

The third shelf is therefore the space in which products enter the search process through AI\u2019s ability to identify them, describe them and match them to the consumer\u2019s request.<\/p>

In food, information plays a central role<\/strong>: ingredients, allergens, nutritional values, certifications, product characteristics and usage information are among the elements that AI systems can use to respond to consumers\u2019 requests.<\/p>

The phenomenon is particularly relevant among younger consumers<\/strong>. In Europe, almost 24% of people aged 18\u201334 have already used AI tools for grocery shopping, compared with 4% of consumers over 55.<\/p>

Consumers are also already showing a willingness to delegate part of their grocery shopping to AI. In Italy, 45.4% say they would be willing to delegate recurring grocery shopping to artificial intelligence.<\/p>

AI-based research is currently concentrated mainly in the stages preceding the actual purchase. Usage declines when consumers move from research to basket building, checkout and automatic reordering.<\/p>

The 2026 picture therefore shows a new stage in the relationship between consumers and food products: before reaching the supermarket shelf or an e-commerce product page, a product may have to pass through another filter \u2014 artificial intelligence.<\/p>

The third shelf is precisely this: a new space in the decision-making process, where AI can determine which products consumers should consider.<\/p>

Analysis by the Corte Parma-Amoretti Press Office<\/strong><\/em><\/p>

Sources<\/strong><\/em><\/p>