Why retail media’s growth is outrunning ROI proof

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Retail media has become a major advertising channel. The problem now is not demand, but proof.

As retailers expand ads across ecommerce, apps, stores, CTV and off-site media, marketers are still struggling to compare performance across fragmented retail media networks. A sponsored piece by a leading American trade publication argues that the channel’s growth is outpacing the measurement systems brands need to make live budget decisions.

The stakes are rising. A leading subscription-based market research company expects US retail media ad spending to reach $71.09 billion in 2026, up from $60.32 billion in 2025.

Retail media’s core promise is powerful: first-party shopper data tied to closed-loop measurement. In theory, brands can connect ad exposure to actual purchases. In practice, attribution windows, reporting rules, incrementality methods and data access vary by platform, making ROI comparisons difficult.

“Don’t expect measurement relief any time soon,” the leading subscription-based market research company warned, pointing to persistent standardization gaps.

Industry bodies are trying to catch up. IAB and IAB Europe released in-store retail media measurement standards to create common definitions and guidelines for ad formats, store zones and measurement.

For brands, the takeaway is clear: retail media budgets should not scale faster than measurement confidence. The winners will be networks that prove incrementality, offer transparent reporting and let marketers optimize before campaigns are already over.