The Retail Media Certification Programme is now fully live for retailers. Following a successful beta phase, retailers can undergo an independent audit to validate their measurement practices against IAB Europe’s industry-agreed standards. Those who meet the criteria will be awarded the IAB Europe Retail Media Certification badge - a mark of excellence to showcase across corporate and marketing communications.
Register your interest to participate in our Retail Media Certification Programme:
The certification process will involve an independent audit that demonstrates compliance with at least 90% of the required standards in the Compliance Table for Retailers and the Compliance Table for Ad Tech companies to achieve certification. If any gaps are identified, there will be an opportunity to make the necessary adjustments and resubmit for a re-audit against the areas that did not meet the requirements.
Once certified, your certification badge will be valid for two years, solidifying your position as a leader in Retail Media measurement.
Read our Overview for Retailers here.
Read our Overview for Ad Tech Companies here.
View our FAQ's here for a deeper dive into the audit process, certification requirements, and more, or email the team at retailmediastandards@iabeurope.eu, who will be happy to answer any questions you have.
Retailers can now apply to become officially certified under IAB Europe’s Retail Media Certification Programme. Join the leading businesses already in the process and demonstrate your commitment to transparent, standardised measurement practices in Retail Media.
Ad Tech companies supporting the Retail Media ecosystem are also invited to join the newly launched beta phase. Participants will gain early access to the certification framework, contribute valuable feedback, and prepare for full certification availability in 2026.
Register your interest now to join the forefront of Retail Media excellence and take the first step toward earning your IAB Europe Retail Media Certification.
The Retail Media Certification Compliance Table for Retailers and the Retail Media Certification Compliance Table for Ad Tech companies outlines exactly what the independent auditors will check.
The beta phase enables IAB Europe and the independent auditors to test and refine the audit process against the measurement standards. So far, two RMNs are participating in the beta phase. Find out more in the press release here.
A Certification Advisory group comprised of National Federations and IABs and the Chair of our Retail Media Committee will Govern the programme and ensure we have the right expertise to make decisions on key milestones such as:
The auditor(s) appointed to undertake the independent audits
The certification process and whether a company received certification
Help to develop the pilot phase and to ensure we reach our goals for the full rollout
How we work / partner with other bodies such as the MRC
The auditor will hold a direct commercial relationship with the organisation being certified. It will also take guidance from IAB Europe. Its core responsibilities will include:
Define the audit approach process
Define recommended documentation & deliverables
Review deliverables
Ensure consistency in deliverables across RMNs
Liaise with other auditors to ensure consistency
Yes, there are two costs to factor in. Firstly, the independent audit will need to be paid for, and secondly, once the audit has been passed and the company wishes to receive certification, then a certification fee is due to IAB Europe.
The certification fee for RMN businesses is 7,500 Euros.
The certification fee for ad tech companies generating more than 50m+ Euros of media revenue per year will be 15,000 Euros, and those with less than 50m Euros of media revenue will be 7,500 Euros.
Any company being certified needs to agree to IAB Europe’s certification terms and conditions before certification is issued.
In Europe, there are a number of certification programmes at a local level for existing digital media standards (e.g. IAB UK Gold Standard, IAB Sweden Gold Standard, CESP Label) but there isn’t a certification programme at a European level specifically for the Retail Media landscape. As the creator of the Retail Media measurement standards, IAB Europe is well-positioned to issue the certifications.
IAB Europe and IAB UK are working closely to incorporate aspects of the European Retail Media Certification into the Gold Standard. If a company looking to be certified already meets some of the IAB Europe Retail Media Certification requirements via a recent IAB UK Gold Standard audit, this will make the audit process more efficient.
