[Watch on Demand] IAB Europe’s Great Debate - Retail Media H1 2025 Wrap-Up

On 30th April 2025, we hosted our first Great Debate of the year on Retail Media. Through a series of engaging Oxford-style debates, panel discussions, and showcase sessions, industry experts from several of our member companies came together to share their views on key topics such as breaking down silos in retail media, the role of programmatic, and how measurement will evolve beyond ROAS in 2025.

To help wrap everything up, we’ve provided an overview of each of the sessions, key takeaways, and links for you to watch the recordings in your own time. 

Check them out below, and be sure to head over to our Retail Media Hub for more information and resources on the work of our Retail & Commerce Media Committee. 

Panel Discussion: How Can We Break Down the Silos in Retail Media? Is Programmatic the Answer?

To kick everything off, the first panel explored the challenges and opportunities in breaking down the silos within Retail Media. Key points of discussion included the integration of various Retail Media channels and the role of data and technology. The panelists also debated whether programmatic solutions can unify the silos and create a more cohesive Retail Media strategy.

Moderated by Kim Ludlow, EMEA Lead for Retail and Commerce Media at Moloco, panelists included:

• Julien Gardès, VP International Business Development & Retail Media, Triplelift 
• Robert Kiessling, Data Partnerships Director, The Trade Desk 
• Paul Wright, Head of International, Uber Advertising 
• Emma Helsloot, Director of Retail Media Sales, Pentaleap

Key takeaways:

• Silos are everywhere: Fragmentation exists across internal advertiser teams, agencies, and within Retail Media Networks (RMNs), slowing down coordination and data use
• Too Many Networks, Too Little Scale: EMEA now has over 138m RMNs, but most advertisers only use 3-5. There’s no easy way to buy or measure consistently across them.
• Data Sharing Is Tricky: Retailers remain cautious about exposing sensitive shopper data. Programmatic can help, but only if it respects privacy and aligns with retailers’ priorities.
• Programmatic as a Framework, Not a Fix-All: Programmatic opens access to inventory, drives scale, and encourages standardisation, but it needs to evolve with retailers’ specific needs in mind.
• The Power of Audience Data: From Uber to niche retailers, audience insights are seen as key, if they can be shared safely and used across multiple formats and platforms. Standardised taxonomy is a major need.
• Smaller Retailers Matter: Valuable audiences exist beyond top-tier retailers. Democratising tech access is essential to unlocking long-tail opportunities.
• What to Expect in 2025: Growth with more consolidated client behaviour, simpler buying and more focus on offsite and long-tail retail, more unified programmatic buying. 

Watch the recording here.

Oxford Style Debate: Retail Media Measurement will Move Beyond ROAS in 2025 - Incrementality Will be King

Moderated by Jason Wescott, Global Head of Commerce Solutions at GroupM Nexus & Chair of the IAB Europe’s Retail & Commerce Media Committee, Marta Piotrowska, Director of Media & AI & Mar-Tech & Retail Media, Allegro, and Paul Dahill, Managing Director, Sales EMEA, Koddi took opposing sides of the argument to decide whether Incrementaility will be King in 2025.

At the beginning of the session, we asked the audience whether they agreed or disagreed that ‘Retail Media Measurement Will Move Beyond ROAS in 2025 – Incrementality Will Be King.’ - 65% agreed, 35% disagreed. 

Key takeaways from the debate included:

Paul’s Position

• ROAS has been foundational in proving Retail Media’s value to brands.
• Replacing it with a single metric like incrementality risks repeating past mistakes.
• Incrementality measurement is still complex, often inconsistent, and not scalable for all retailers, particularly smaller ones.
• We risk a "measurement arms race" that benefits only those with advanced tech stacks.
• Instead, Paul advocated for a balanced toolkit of metrics, with incrementality as one part, not the sole ruler.

Marta’s Position

• ROAS is outdated, based on flawed click-based attribution models rooted in the search-dominated world of 2010.
• Today’s consumer journey is driven by influence (e.g. TikTok, Pinterest) without clear clicks.
• Incrementality better reflects true campaign impact, especially for brand-building and upper-funnel efforts.
• ROAS can be gamed by targeting low-hanging fruit (e.g., last-click conversions), missing the opportunity to grow new audiences.
• While not perfect, incrementality offers a smarter step forward, especially if supported by the right technology and regulation.

Closing Statements:

• Paul reiterated that metrics must map to campaign goals - loyalty, awareness, growth - and warned against turning incrementality into another rigid benchmark.
• Marta countered that it’s time to move past ROAS-focused campaigns that stifle brand building. Incrementality isn't flawless, but it’s a better starting point for future progress.

At the end of the session, we asked the audience the same question as we had at the beginning of the debate. This time 52% agreed and 48% disagreed. 

Watch the session recording here.

Showcase Session: In-Store Retail Media Innovation

We then moved on to our showcase session. Hosted by James Allison, Director Market Development EMEA at Advertima, Saskia Nettekoven, Team Lead New Business, Douglas Marketing Solutions, and Tram Thao Lam, Product & Innovation Manager, Retail Media, Douglas Marketing Solutions, along with Till Goehre, Head of Data & Product, MediaMarktSaturn Retail Media, shared how they are driving innovation in In-Store Retail Media. 

Watch the session recording here.

Presentation: Status on IAB Europe’s Standardisation and Certification Initiatives

Delivered by our Industry Development & Insights Director, Marie-Clare Puffett, this session walked attendees through the current status and what is next when it comes to our standarisation work and certification programme.

Watch the session recording here. 

Panel Discussion: Why is Standardisation and Certification Important to the Development of Retail Media? 

The final panel brought everything together to discuss how consistent standards can foster trust and transparency between retailers, brands, and consumers. All while certification ensures adherence to best practices across the ecosystem.

The session was moderated by Babs Kehinde, Senior Director, Commerce Media, EMEA at PubMatic, with panelists including:

• Georgina Holledge, Business Director, Capture & Plan-Apps 
• Darren Jacobs, EMEA Sales Director, Zitcha 
• Stephen Shepherd, Head of Strategy and Consulting. Tesco Media 

Key takeaways:

• Retail Media Needs Consistency:  Brands are struggling to compare performance across RMNs. Georgina emphasised that shared metrics would help build trust and unlock greater investment.
• One Size Won’t Fit All: Stephen pointed out that measurement must account for category differences (e.g., beer vs. fresh produce) and the complexity of omnichannel campaigns.
• It’s Not Just About Measurement: Darren added that creative standardisation matters too, paving the way for more immersive, high-impact formats across digital and in-store channels. 
• Collaboration is Key: Standardisation won’t work top-down. Brands, retailers, tech platforms, and organisations like IAB Europe all need to align.
• Don’t Forget the Customer: Stephen closed with a simple reminder - standards must enhance the shopper experience, not just industry operations.

Watch the session recording here. 
View a summary from Babs here.