The Rise of Retail Media Networks

Strategic Shifts in FMCG and Retail Trade Collaboration

Introduction

Retail Media Networks are becoming central in reshaping how retailers and fast-moving consumer goods companies engage with online and in-store shoppers. Once dominated by traditional channels like television, the media landscape has shifted rapidly. RMNs are forecast to account for half of all digital marketing spend and a quarter of total advertising by 2030. More significantly for retailers, these networks could drive up to 35 per cent of their profits, signalling a fundamental change in how value is created in retail ecosystems.

At the heart of this transformation is the convergence of commerce and media. Retailers, traditionally focused on sales and supply chains, now operate as media owners with access to valuable first-party customer data and direct links to the point of purchase. This gives them an increasingly important role in digital advertising for endemic brands and advertisers from sectors as varied as automotive and financial services.