As the UK prepares for Mother’s Day 2026, new analysis from Checkout.com reveals how AI-powered shopping is transforming one of the busiest retail moments of the year, spanning everything from traditional bouquets to travel.
Looking back at Mother’s Day 2025, Checkout.com’s digital payments data revealed two distinct types of shoppers: planners and procrastinators. Some consumers organised gifts well in advance, with floral spending peaking 72 above the monthly daily average on Friday 21 March, suggesting many shoppers secured their orders early to guarantee delivery.
However, Mother’s Day has also proven to be a significant driver for the experience economy. Data shows an unexpected peak in the travel industry, with travel agency spending hitting its monthly high on Tuesday 25 March, just five days before the holiday, at 17 above the average that month. This suggests a growing trend of experience gifting, alongside a surge in people traveling across the country to be with loved ones. Hotel and lodging spending followed a similar trajectory, peaking on the same day with an 18 uplift.
On the day before Mother’s Day, online flower sales surged 67 compared to the average daily spend for the month, as last-minute shoppers rushed to secure bouquets before delivery cut-offs. On the day itself, Health & Beauty Spas saw an 11 spending rise compared to the previous 48 hours, pointing to pampering booked for the same day or instant digital vouchers.
This split behaviour creates intense peaks in demand for retailers, making checkout performance and payment infrastructure crucial to capturing every sale during the final days before the celebration.
For 2026, this behaviour may increasingly be supported by AI-powered shopping tools. Checkout.com’s Peak Season research shows 42 of UK consumers have already used AI tools to help choose a gift for a partner or family member. Efficiency is a major driver: Over a quarter (27) of Brits say saving time is their primary reason for using AI shopping tools, while a third (33) use them specifically to find better prices.
The trend is particularly strong among younger shoppers. Seventy per cent of 25–34-year-olds say they would be comfortable allowing an AI agent to complete a purchase on their behalf, suggesting automated shopping assistants could increasingly handle seasonal purchases like Mother’s Day gifts.
Rory O’Neill, CMO at Checkout.com, said: “Our data shows that Mother’s Day is not just about the last-minute bouquet; it is a catalyst for a multi-sector spend, with a clear divide between those who book experiences, travel and hotels a week out and those who opt for last-minute options. Retailers need to be prepared for both behaviours. That means ensuring checkout performance remains fast and reliable even when demand spikes in the final hours before delivery cut-offs.
Looking ahead, we expect more of these purchases to be supported by AI agents. For merchants, that means preparing their checkout for both human shoppers and AI agents, providing the structured data and payment flows that allow purchases to be completed instantly and confidently.”
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