More than two-thirds (69%) of UK retailers only react to operational issues after those issues have already affected commercial performance, according to new research by UiPath.
UiPath, a leader in business orchestration and automation, surveyed 500 UK retail leaders and found that, although 97% of UK retailers have now implemented artificial intelligence in some form, nearly half (47%) say they are still waiting to see measurable commercial impact.
With the Golden Quarter looming, UiPath’s findings suggest retailers will be under-utilising AI even as they plan for the operational challenges peak season brings, including stock management, fulfilment and returns. Despite the widespread AI adoption, many retail organisations still lack the visibility, connected processes, and orchestration needed to act before problems affect revenue.
Retailers are still operating with hindsight
Almost all (97%) of those surveyed reported being confident in achieving their commercial targets during the 2026 Golden Quarter – but cited delayed decision-making (43%) and poor data visibility (42%) as the two biggest barriers to agility during peak trading. Inventory inaccuracies (35%) and legacy technology (35%) also prove to be a drag on operational success and, therefore, margins. More than a quarter (26%) of retail leaders identified margin protection as their biggest commercial risk during the Golden Quarter.
Stock visibility failures were identified as the most likely cause of underperformance during peak trading periods, narrowly ahead of operational bottlenecks.
Decision-making disconnection
The research also found that retailers still rely on manual processes rather than AI for decision-making. Nearly eight in ten (79%) retail leaders said that most, almost all or all key operational decisions still require manual intervention.
Catherine Frame, retail director at UiPath, highlighted the disconnect between data and decision-making as a significant issue slowing down agility during peak trading season. “Too many organisations still discover issues after they’ve already affected sales because critical data, systems and teams remain disconnected,” she said. “AI only delivers value when it helps retailers spot problems early enough to change the outcome.
She added: “Too often, businesses blame supply chain disruption when the real problem is that they’re making decisions with incomplete or outdated information. AI-powered decision-making can make the difference between reacting to disruption and staying ahead of it.”
The challenge is no longer implementing AI — it’s putting it to work where it matters most.
As the Golden Quarter nears, operational visibility could prove the difference between growth and missed opportunity.
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