Retail media networks come of age

Why it matters

Retailers are selling advertising across their websites, apps and stores, using first-party shopper data to help brands reach customers close to the point of purchase. Retail media is becoming a business line in its own right.

Retail media works because retailers can link advertising to purchases. As networks grow, brands are asking for comparable metrics, transparent pricing and evidence that campaigns generate incremental sales.

What's changing

• Brands want consistent measurement and closed-loop attribution across retailers.
• Privacy rules and changes to third-party cookies increase the value of consented first-party data.
• In-store screens and offsite campaigns extend networks beyond the retailer's own website.

How leaders are responding

• Using data clean rooms so brands can measure results without accessing personal data.
• Balancing advertising with the shopping experience on search and product pages.
• Setting up dedicated teams and governance for media sales, separate from trading terms.

What good looks like

• Clear measurement of incremental sales, not just attributed sales
• Clean-room partnerships that protect shopper data
• Retail media planned with brand budgets, not only trade budgets

What to watch

• Industry measurement guidelines for retail media.
• Growth of in-store digital screens and offsite campaigns.
• Collaboration between retailers and brands through data clean rooms.

Where to start