When the UK weather flipped from grey misery into an unholy 30-plus-degree heatwave, it sent half the country panicking. Heatwave thinking set in, routines shifted, and suddenly what people were buying felt a lot more immediate and specific.
Instead of wandering supermarket aisles or typing broad queries into traditional search, shoppers are going straight to AI assistants. They’re asking for rose dupe perfumes that feel premium without the price tag, deodorant that can survive a packed tube commute, and suncream that is quick and easy to apply on a moving child who has no interest in sitting still.
This is the new front door to fmcg discovery.
Adapting to changing consumer behaviour
Consumer search behaviour has changed, and platforms are rapidly adapting to reflect it. Google is already reshaping the experience, including removing the traditional top 10 blue links and introducing paid placements within AI-driven environments. Search as we know it has evolved from a list of options to become a single, confident recommendation.
For fmcg brands, this is a fundamental disruption in how products are discovered and considered. If LLMs were a bouncer, your brand isn’t getting into the club (the purchasing journey) if it isn’t on the list.
The challenge now isn’t just visibility, but recommendation. Brands need LLMs to recommend them to customers – and that means making sure their brand and product information is visible and credible to LLMs.
Brands need to think about how they are interpreted and trusted by AI systems that are constantly drawing on new information. That means feeding the machine with clean structured product data and real-time inventory signals – but it also means embracing more natural, conversational content in product descriptions that reflects how people search in these moments. Queries like ‘deodorant that withstands high-stress commuting’ or ‘skincare that survives a heatwave school run’ matter more than generic category terms.
Building your AI discovery strategy
Alongside this, brands need to cultivate reviews that highlight real use cases, because AI systems are increasingly scanning feedback for authority signals rather than just star ratings.
So, fmcg brands disappearing from the digital shelf has the potential to just be a temporary blip – but only if they act. Reaching customers is no longer defined by being the most recognisable pack on the shelf or the loudest voice in traditional media. And as paid inclusion within AI environments becomes part of the mix, the brands that have already built their organic visibility will be best placed to benefit.
It all comes down to whether AI systems can easily understand, confidently verify and consistently recommend you in the exact moment of need.
That panicking shopper in a heatwave isn’t browsing, they’re asking. The only question is whether the answer includes your brand.
Ella Kersey is growth director at Brandwidth
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