17th September, Brussels, Belgium - IAB Europe, the European-level association for the digital marketing and advertising ecosystem, has today opened two new Commerce Media measurement standards documents for public comment. Common standards are central to IAB Europe’s mission of building a trusted, interoperable digital advertising ecosystem and these documents advance that work by bringing greater consistency and transparency to measurement across in-store Retail Media and the growing Travel Media sector.
The first sets out proposed next steps for in-store Retail Media measurement, following an industry workshop held in July. The second is the first draft of a Travel Media Measurement Addendum, extending IAB Europe’s existing Commerce Media Measurement Standards to address the specific characteristics of the travel industry.
Both documents have been developed in collaboration with retailers, travel platforms, measurement providers and other industry stakeholders, and are now open for wider industry feedback before being finalised.
IAB Europe is calling on all industry stakeholders that these documents are relevant to, to provide comments or feedback by 23rd October.
On the proposals, IAB Europe’s Senior Director Industry Development & Marketing, Marie-Clare Puffett, commented: “Measurement has always been fundamental to trust in digital advertising, and that's just as important as Commerce Media expands into new areas such as in-store Retail Media and Travel Media. These proposals reflect months of close collaboration with retailers and travel media businesses and are designed to bring the same rigour and consistency to these fast-growing areas that the industry expects elsewhere. We want to hear from as many stakeholders as possible during the public comment period, so the final standards reflect the needs of the wider ecosystem.”
Proposed Next Steps for In-Store Retail Media Measurement
Following IAB Europe’s In-Store Measurement Workshop on 1st July 2026, the proposed framework sets out a more consistent approach to measuring in-store Retail Media, while recognising differences in technology and measurement maturity across retailers.
At its core is a five-zone framework, covering media from outside the store through to in-aisle environments, alongside a simplified model for calculating Opportunity To See based on six inputs: footfall, store count, campaign duration, number of placements, aisle penetration and share of voice.
The proposals also address how impressions should be measured where sensor technology is not available, with a focus on greater transparency around modelled assumptions. The emerging approach favours footfall and the opportunity for visual contact with an ad, rather than ad play alone, as the basis for an in-store impression.
To help account for different levels of measurement capability, a tiered approach to calculating aisle penetration has been proposed, ranging from full beacon deployment to category-level market research. Further changes include removing sales lift and brand sales lift metrics and aligning the sales reporting window to 28 days.
The recommendations remain proposals rather than a final standard.
First Draft Travel Media Measurement Addendum
IAB Europe has also brought together leading Travel Media businesses, including Skyscanner, KAYAK, Expedia, Koddi, Booking.com and Sojern, to develop a travel-specific addendum to its existing Commerce Media Measurement Standards.
The draft confirms that most existing standards can be applied to Travel Media, while proposing additional guidance in areas including attribution, new-to-advertiser metrics and sales reporting.
Key proposals include seven-day attribution windows for sponsored products and 30 days for display and offsite advertising, a three-year look-back period for new-to-advertiser metrics, and standardising sales reporting around gross bookings before cancellation.
The addendum also aligns incrementality definitions with IAB Europe’s existing Commerce Media Incrementality Guidelines and introduces a disclosure requirement for organisations using sales extrapolation.
Industry feedback will help inform the further development of the addendum ahead of final publication.
Commenting on the proposals, Jason Wescott, Global Head of Commerce Solutions at WPP Media and Chair of IAB Europe’s Retail & Commerce Media Committee, said: “As Commerce Media expands into new environments and sectors, consistent and credible measurement is essential. These proposals are an important step towards greater clarity and transparency across both in-store Retail Media and Travel Media, and I’d encourage the industry to review them and help inform the final standards.”
Have Your Say
Together, the two documents represent the next stage of IAB Europe’s work to establish clear and consistent measurement practices as Commerce Media expands into new environments and sectors.
IAB Europe is inviting stakeholders from across the industry to review the proposals and share feedback during the public comment period.
Feedback will help inform both workstreams ahead of the publication of the final frameworks.
