Retail Media continues to scale across markets. Budgets are growing, expectations are tightening, and one issue keeps returning to the surface: comparability.
This week marks an important milestone for the global Retail Media ecosystem. IAB Australia, in collaboration with IAB Europe, has launched the IAB Australia Retail Media Certification Program. The initiative is a local adaptation of the IAB Europe Retail Media Certification Programme and is grounded in the standards developed by IAB Europe’s Retail and Commerce Media Committee.
Coles 360 will be the first Australian retail media network to enter the independent audit process, signalling a commitment to transparent and accountable measurement as retail media matures within the market.
The Australian Program mirrors the core principles of the European certification model. Retailers and ad tech companies can undergo an independent audit of their retail media measurement practices against the mandatory requirements set out in IAB Europe’s Compliance Table.
As with the process carried out in Europe, once the audit is completed, IAB Australia reviews the auditor’s report and, where the criteria are met, issues a certification badge valid for two years.
This structure is deliberate. Certification is not a declaration of intent. It is independent verification against a clearly defined, industry-agreed baseline.
Retail Media has developed quickly. In many markets, it has moved from experimentation to structural budget allocation in a short period of time. Measurement alignment has not always progressed at the same pace.
Inconsistent definitions, variations in methodology, and differing reporting standards create friction for brands and agencies operating across multiple retail environments. Certification does not seek to limit innovation. It establishes a shared framework so that performance discussions are grounded in common expectations.
Retail media’s continued development depends on transparent measurement and a common language that advertisers can trust.
An Australian retailer entering this certification process reinforces that verified measurement is not regionally specific. It is becoming a global expectation.
The Programme is designed to promote a level playing field by aligning measurement practices to a common, independently verified standard. Independent verification increases confidence in reported metrics and methodologies, helping ensure retail media is assessed against expectations applied across other digital channels.
In practical terms, this brings clearer definitions, transparency around calculation methodologies, and consistency in how performance is reported. When retailers are measured against the same mandatory requirements, differences in results reflect strategy and execution rather than interpretation.
For brands and agencies, this reduces ambiguity in cross-retailer evaluation and supports more robust investment decisions. For retailers, it signals operational maturity and readiness to be assessed against agreed standards. For the broader ecosystem, it strengthens trust by anchoring growth in accountability.
As Retail Media becomes more deeply embedded within media plans, confidence in reported outcomes is no longer a preference. It is a requirement.
The IAB Europe Retail Media Certification Programme was created to bring consistency across retailers and ad tech companies operating in Europe. The adoption of a locally adapted model in Australia demonstrates the portability and relevance of those standards.
Retail media does not lack demand. What it requires is clarity.
Certification provides a transparent benchmark. It enables retailers to demonstrate compliance with industry-agreed standards and gives advertisers a more reliable foundation for comparison.
The Australian launch marks an important step in the international alignment of retail media measurement standards, reinforcing that transparency and comparability are becoming shared expectations across markets rather than isolated initiatives.
For more information on the IAB Europe Retail Media Certification Programme, visit the website here.
More about the IAB Australia Retail Media Certification Program here.
