IAB Europe released two major updates within five days this October, signaling that retail media standardization has moved from discussion to enforcement. The updated Pan-European Retail & Commerce Media Landscape Map dropped October 14, just days after the organization opened public comment on Commerce Media Measurement Standards V2, the first framework to include quick commerce measurement metrics. With Albert Heijn certified in September as the first compliant network and 70% of buyers citing lack of standards as an investment barrier, the message is clear: standardized measurement is now the price of entry for European retail media.

Landscape Map Tracks Rapid Ecosystem Expansion

IAB Europe's October 14 landscape update arrives just five months after the original May 2025 release, an unusually fast refresh cycle that reflects how quickly new players are entering the retail and commerce media sector.

The map covers 31 European markets and categorizes the ecosystem across retailers, technology providers, ad tech platforms, and measurement partners. For marketers and media buyers tracking which networks exist and what services they offer, this becomes the industry reference document.

But the timing tells the real story. IAB Europe released the landscape map in the middle of the public comment period for Commerce Media Measurement Standards V2 (October 9 through November 14). The parallel releases send a coordinated message: here's the expanding ecosystem, and here are the compliance requirements everyone must meet.

Marie-Clare Puffett, IAB Europe's Industry Development & Insights Director, framed the urgency clearly: "Standardisation is crucial to unlocking efficiency, consistency, and trust in Retail and Commerce Media."

Commerce Media Standards V2 Adds Quick Commerce

The Commerce Media Measurement Standards V2 represents 17 months of industry feedback since the April 2024 initial release. Three changes reshape how networks must report campaign performance:

• ‍Quick commerce gets dedicated measurement frameworks. Getir, Gorillas, Deliveroo, and similar instant delivery platforms now have standardized metrics. This reflects sector growth across European markets and acknowledges that 15-minute delivery windows create different attribution challenges than standard e-commerce fulfillment.‍
• Gross and net sales require separate reporting. The framework now distinguishes total transaction value (gross) from revenue after returns, cancellations, and discounts (net). A sponsored product campaign showing €50,000 in attributed sales looks very different at 4.2x ROAS (gross) versus 3.2x ROAS (net) after accounting for a 15% return rate.‍
• Attribution windows are standardized across networks. All platforms must offer consistent lookback periods: 7, 14, or 28 days for view-through attribution and 1, 7, or 28 days for click-through. This eliminates the current problem where one retailer reports 30-day attribution while another uses 7 days, making performance comparison impossible.

The name evolution from "Retail Media" to "Commerce Media" signals future expansion. IAB Europe plans to add travel and finance verticals in coming versions—anywhere with first-party purchase data and advertising inventory eventually needs standardized measurement.

Albert Heijn Certification Sets the Compliance Bar

Albert Heijn became the first certified retail media network in September 2025 following an independent audit by ABC. The Dutch supermarket chain earned certification for Display (static) and Sponsored Products across its website and mobile app.

The audit verified three critical areas: metric definitions match IAB standards, data flows are documented and tested end-to-end, and reported campaign numbers match what independent auditors found when examining real advertiser data.

Rolf Oosterhoff, Albert Heijn's Head of Retail Media Services, positioned the certification as competitive advantage: "This certification underlines our commitment to transparency and effectiveness in retail media. It's an important milestone for us, but also for the industry as a whole."

Sainsbury's Nectar360 entered final audit stages in May 2025. The certification program, which launched in October 2024 and expanded to ad tech providers in beta phase, uses three approved independent auditors: ABC, Alliance for Audited Media (AAM), and Centre d'Étude des Supports de Publicité (CESP).

For media buyers making investment decisions, certification status now provides objective third-party validation that a network's measurement claims hold up to scrutiny.

The Investment Barrier Numbers

IAB Europe's July 2025 research quantifies the standardization gap: 78% of stakeholders identify media measurement as requiring industry alignment, while 69% cite attribution standardization needs. These aren't secondary concerns, they're the primary factors limiting retail media investment growth.

The research also found that brands working with four to six retail media networks doubled from 10% to 24% between 2024 and 2025. When advertisers run campaigns across multiple networks simultaneously, incompatible metrics make accurate budget allocation nearly impossible.

European retail media grew 22.1% in 2024, outpacing the broader advertising market's 6.1% expansion by a factor of 3.6. Yet 70% of buyers still cite lack of standards as an investment barrier—suggesting that growth could accelerate significantly once standardization reduces friction.

The market reached €13.7 billion in 2024 spending, with off-site retail media showing particularly strong momentum. Buyers allocating more than 41% of digital spend to off-site formats jumped from 30% to 46% year-over-year.

What Compliance Actually Requires

The standards don't just affect retail media networks, they change how marketers must structure campaign reporting and evaluation.

• ‍Metric definitions need auditing. Advertisers currently using different calculations for impressions (served versus viewable), attribution windows, and ROAS will see numbers change when switching to standardized methodologies. A campaign showing 4.5x ROAS under one network's custom attribution might show 3.8x under standardized 28-day measurement.‍
• Cross-network comparisons become possible. Once multiple networks report using identical attribution windows and gross/net sales definitions, media buyers can accurately compare performance and shift budgets toward better-performing platforms. This competitive pressure should improve network quality over time.‍
• Historical data remains unchanged. Networks won't retroactively recalculate 2024 campaign performance using 2026 standards, which makes year-over-year trend analysis more complex during the transition period.

Timeline and Next Steps

The V2 standards public comment period closes November 14, 2025. IAB Europe will incorporate industry feedback and release final standards, likely in Q1 2026.

Networks will then update their reporting interfaces, expect metric labels to change from generic "ROAS" to specific "iROAS (28-day click)" to match standard terminology. Dashboards will split current sales figures into separate "Gross Sales" and "Net Sales" columns.

Certification audits take several months. Albert Heijn's pilot audit established the process, but each network requires independent assessment. Larger networks with more complex ad products across on-site and off-site inventory will take longer to complete.

The certification program operates with flexibility for smaller networks, allowing them to submit only primary ad products for initial certification rather than requiring full portfolio audits that would create disproportionate cost barriers.

Industry Impact

The October updates represent a clear shift from voluntary guidelines to expected compliance. With the first certified network operational and public comment on V2 standards underway, IAB Europe has moved retail media standardization from aspiration to implementation.

For retail media networks, certification becomes a competitive differentiator. For media buyers, standardized metrics enable more accurate cross-network performance comparison. For the broader industry, reduced measurement friction should unlock the investment growth that 70% buyer barrier statistic suggests is waiting.

The quick commerce inclusion in V2 also signals that standardization will keep pace with channel innovation rather than lag behind it—important as retail media continues expanding beyond traditional e-commerce into instant delivery, in-store digital, and eventually travel and finance verticals.

FAQ

When do networks need to comply with V2 standards?

Final V2 standards release likely in Q1 2026 after the November 14 comment period closes. Networks will have a transition period (typically 3-6 months) to update systems and reporting. Certification is voluntary but provides competitive advantage.

Does certification cost prohibit small retail media networks?

Networks can certify only their primary ad products initially rather than full portfolios. Albert Heijn certified Display and Sponsored Products but could add other formats later. This prevents disproportionate audit costs from excluding smaller players.

What happens to campaigns running during the transition?

Historical data won't change—networks provide both legacy and standards-compliant metrics during transition periods. Advertisers need to document which methodology applied to each time period for accurate performance tracking.

Will standardization reduce retail media network differentiation?

Standardized measurement applies to how networks report metrics, not what audience data or inventory they offer. Networks still differentiate on first-party data quality, brand affinity, and unique ad placements. Standards make performance comparison accurate, not networks identical.

How does European standardization relate to US retail media measurement?

IAB US released separate guidelines in January 2024. Both frameworks share IAB/MRC foundations but differ in specifics. The certification programs are coordinating to minimize conflicts for brands running global campaigns across both markets.