On 1st July, we hosted our third Retail Media Standards Workshop in Paris, generously supported by Unlimitail. Building on the momentum of our first two workshops, which focused on establishing a foundation for our Retail Media standards and developing in-store definitions and measurement best practices, this latest session brought together representatives from 13 leading retailers across Europe for two days of collaboration and strategic discussion.
You can catch up on the key takeaways from the first workshop here and the second workshop here.
Kicking off with an evening of networking and knowledge sharing, the workshop set the stage for focused conversations on driving the standardisation and advancement of retail and commerce media across the region. Participating retailers included:
The rapid rise of Retail Media presents both opportunities and challenges. Without standardisation, fragmentation can lead to inefficiencies for both buyers and sellers. That’s why this workshop focused in on four critical areas of standardisation that are essential to unlocking greater scale, transparency, and performance in this space:
By aligning on these foundational elements, the industry can accelerate progress toward a more cohesive and effective Retail Media ecosystem.
The workshop opened with a snapshot of the current retail media landscape in Europe. Highlights included:
1. Incrementality Measurement
Participants then dove into how to accurately measure, tackling key elements including how to assess true campaign effects, and the next steps for robust, industry-wide guidelines.
Key discussions covered:
An initial set of Incrementality Measurement Guidelines will be released for public comment in September.
2. Evolving On-Site & Off-Site Standards to Commerce Media
The group then discussed expanding on our existing measurement standards to encompass the growing influence of quick commerce and delivery-based services. This reflects the need for consistency not only across retailer websites but across the broader commerce media ecosystem.
Version 2 of our Retail Media Measurement Standards, including this expansion, will be open for public comment in September.
3. Attribution & Standardised Sale Definitions
Creating a unified definition of what constitutes an attributed sale was a major focus. Areas of alignment included:
An initial guide on Attribution and Sale Definitions will be published for public comment in September.
4. Ad Formats for Retail Media Networks (RMNs)
A proposal by Tesco Media around standardised creative units sparked a lively and constructive discussion. There was strong consensus on:
An initial set of recommended ad formats will be available for industry feedback in September.
Speaking on the value of hosting the workshop, Thibault Hennion, COO, Unlimitail, said, "We were delighted to host and welcome 20+ retail members in Paris this week for the Retail Media Standards workshop. Crafting the future of Retail Media together with retailers from different verticals, geographies and sizes is an objective shared between Unlimitail and IAB Europe. This is one of the key reasons for Unlimitail strong efforts and involvement from the start. With this edition, we had the opportunity to get to know each other, discuss, compare our views and align on hot topics such as incrementality, ad formats, commerce media and omnicanality. A very appreciated moment by all!"
On his experience of the event, Ben Peterson, Global Strategic Retail Media Manager at Just Eat Takeaway, said, "A big Merci Beaucoup to the IAB Europe and Unlimitail crew for hosting! A rare but valuable opportunity to get together with similar players in our space to get into the nitty gritty of how we maintain and even further accelerate the rapid growth of Retail Media across Europe. A great chance to workshop key challenges, share different insights and identify tangible next steps to realise the true scale of the opportunity that is there for our industry."
Patricia Grundmann, Vice President Retail Media & Managing Director OBI First Media Group & Vice-Chair of our Retail & Commerce Media Committee also commented, "The IAB Europe Retail Media & Commerce Media Standards Workshop has once again demonstrated the importance of close exchange. Only through close collaboration among traders can we truly establish groundbreaking measurement standards for incrementality, ad formats, and commerce media. Standards that will gain industry-wide approval and be actively implemented."
Steve Shepherd, Retail Media Strategy and Partnerships Director Dunnhumby, Tesco Media, added, “It was a pleasure to spend the day with IAB Europe and leading retailers from across the region. The workshop sparked timely and important conversations around media standards, discussions that are essential to the ongoing evolution and maturity of our industry. It was a valuable forum for collaboration, alignment, and driving meaningful progress. We look forward to continuing this work together in the months ahead and beyond.”
Dirk Hahn, Director Product management Retail Media, Schwarz Corporate Solutions, also said "For us, standards are crucial to unlock the full, actionable power of this first-party data for all brand partners, driving collective success."
Thanks to the collective input, commitment, and collaboration of our retailer partners, we will continue to lead the charge toward consistent, scalable Retail Media practices across Europe. Here’s some of what’s coming next:
Together, we’re building a more transparent, efficient, and effective Retail Media landscape for Europe. Stay tuned for more information coming soon.
In the meantime, to learn more about our ongoing work and find out how you can get involved in our Retail & Commerce Media Committee, visit our Retail Media Hub here or contact our Industry Development & Insights Director, Marie-Clare, who will be happy to help - puffett [at] iabeurope.eu.
