Welcome to Part 2 of our intro series on retail media.
We reveal the challenges facing brands and RMNs and how the industry, supported by ABC’s independent audits, helps unlock trust and transparency
If you missed it, Part 1 is available here. Our full guide is available here for more depth.
Unlocking the full potential
Retail media is booming. But growth brings complexity.
Brands and agencies face a fragmented landscape, making it hard to measure performance and ROI (return on investment) clearly.
Everyone wants trustworthy ROI.
But inconsistent definitions across platforms create confusion.
Without standardised metrics, comparisons are nearly impossible
Each retail media network is its own "walled garden"
This makes it tough to:
Consolidate data
Compare performance
Forecast impact
Which in turns makes investment harder to justify.
Enter the Retail Media Certification programme by IAB Europe.
It sets industry-wide standards to:
Promote consistent measurement
Increase transparency
Simplify planning
Build trust
Independent audits ensure compliance.
IAB UK expanded its Gold Standard to include retail media networks.
It covers key metrics like:
- Ad impressions
- Clicks/click-throughs
- Viewability
- Sophisticated Invalid Traffic (SIVT)
It also requires independent audits.
Independent audits by ABC are a cornerstone of trustworthy retail media measurement
They ensure:
Transparency:
Retail media networks are held to clear, consistent standards
Accountability:
Brands and agencies can trust the data they receive
Confidence:
Buyers are more willing to invest when metrics are verified
New IAB Standards and independent auditing offer:
✅ Standardised metrics
✅ Independent verification
✅ A level playing field
This builds confidence and unlocks retail media’s full potential.
Through rigorous auditing of industry standards we’re helping networks demonstrate credibility and win advertiser trust.
In our final part, find out about why an audit is important, the steps involved and what benefits certification brings.
