One in five EU consumers have shopped using a voice assistant like Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa

While 87 per cent of US consumers are aware of voice and text aides, the European Union is miles ahead on adopting new technology from the likes of Apple, Amazon and Microsoft to carry out their daily buying needs.

According to research carried out by Mastercard, 21 per cent of consumers in the EU have shopped using a voice assistant, while 16 per cent have made payments and a further seven per cent have banked via an aide like Alexa or Siri.

Shopping via voice assistants and sales in digital home technology like the Amazon Echo and Apple HomePod has grown in popularity in recent years, as tech giants continue to disrupt the retail markets. Last week, Yandex released its own smart speaker to cater exclusively to the Russian market.

However it has also come under fire on occasion, with Amazon currently under scrutiny after its Alexa voice assistant recorded a couple’s private conversation and sent it to a random contact without their permission.

The most popular categories for shoppers using voice assistants include ordering meals (56 per cent), electronics (52 per cent) and groceries or toiletries (45 per cent each). Analysts from OC&C believe that $5bn (£3.74bn) will be spent through voice commerce in the UK by 2022, representing three per cent of the country’s total online spend.

“The rapid growth and innovation of voice technology has real potential to change the way we live and do business – for the better,” said Ann Cairns, vice chairman at Mastercard.

“Voice offers a unique opportunity for business to deliver faster, easier and more convenient experiences. But it has to be scaled responsibly. The role of voice technology is to drive a secure, trusted experience that delivers tangible benefit.”