Have you seen a decline in Google shopping this year?

Have you smashed it out of the water or have you noticed a steady decline? If it’s the latter, you’re not alone. 

We’ve audited about 20+ accounts in the last 3 months alone and seen the same problems over and over. 

Google is having a great time  releasing AI updates under cover – and it’s hurting ad accounts big time. Google have released several core updates across 2025 including AI for Search ads, Performance Max – AI automation, Creative automation – images, videos and content as well as their much touted ‘enhance reporting’ .. yawn. 

Google have released “data” on Pmax placements this year and have made quite a song and dance talking about it. But they failed to mention the sneaky little updates they made on the 7th May this year, again in September and the latest was last week. 

I have also spotted fresh meat at Ad Group level just waiting to be ‘Enabled’ on masse in the near future. 

What am I talking about? – AI of course, and here’s why it’s so helpful.. 

 

🥳 It creates copy neither you or your brand team have signed off or seen

🥳 It makes claims about your business that you never knew (like one retailer showing a display ad saying he was a major manufacturer – who knew! 

🥳It creates off brand videos with sickly background music 

🥳It also states false discount amounts on sale items 

🥳creates ‘Sale’ copy in territories which have sale restrictions (like France) 

🥳Spends all your shopping budget on branded search and none in shopping

🥳spends your budget appearing in apps and on peppa pig 

 

And it’s poised with yet more helpful updates. 

What can we expect in 2026? Some sources are predicting that AI won’t be an opt out in 2026 any beyond. But this is unlikely to be the case as all ad content is and remains under UK law, the responsibility of the advertiser. Google would be exposed to liability if AI became disable-able. Regulators would class this as ‘platform authored content’ and therefore, Google would be liable for this content. 

This blog has one simple aim – if you have had issues with Google Shopping in the last 6 – 8 months, we know why. 

Drop us a line and we’ll fix it … until Google releases the next round of updates. 

 

Stay safe!