IAB Europe opens public comment on commerce media standards

IAB Europe launched two paperwork for public touch upon October 9, 2025, focusing on standardization throughout the retail and commerce media sector. The Brussels-based group invited business stakeholders to evaluation up to date measurement requirements and versatile advert format tips till November 14, 2025.

The announcement addresses persistent fragmentation inside European retail media, where 70% of buyers cite lack of standards as investment barriers. The paperwork signify collaborative efforts between IAB Europe’s Retail & Commerce Media Committee and its Retailer Council.

Up to date measurement framework

The Commerce Media Measurement Requirements V2 builds upon April 2024’s preliminary Retail Media Measurement Requirements. Up to date in September 2025, the revised framework incorporates business suggestions collected over 17 months of implementation.

“Standardisation is essential to unlocking effectivity, consistency, and belief in Retail and Commerce Media,” acknowledged Marie-Clare Puffett, Trade Improvement & Insights Director at IAB Europe. “These two paperwork signify essential steps ahead, however we need to guarantee they replicate the wants and realities of all stakeholders.”

The up to date requirements broaden past conventional retail environments. Fast commerce receives devoted metrics for the primary time, reflecting the sector’s fast development throughout European markets. Future editions plan protection for journey and finance verticals.

Technical specs embrace refined measurement funnels with distinct definitions for gross and web gross sales. The framework supplies detailed explanations for media metrics, attribution methodologies, and commerce-specific changes. Simplified reporting permits manufacturers and companies to match efficiency throughout a number of retailers by way of constant metrics.

The requirements focus completely on on-line measurement for on-site and off-site retail media. Separate steerage addresses in-store retail media, which received industry-wide measurement standards in September 2024. The paperwork acknowledge rising significance of omnichannel campaigns combining digital and bodily retail touchpoints.

Versatile advert format answer

Conventional advert codecs wrestle to combine inside retailer web sites, in line with IAB Europe’s evaluation. This technical incompatibility has pushed proliferation of bespoke codecs. Whereas personalized options can improve engagement, they enhance operational complexity and pressure advertiser sources.

The Versatile Advert Measurement Tips tackle this fragmentation by way of standardized specs. Based mostly on an answer developed by Tesco Media and refined by way of IAB Europe requirements workshops, the proposal introduces 4 core side ratios masking cell, pill, desktop, and cell app environments.

Cell units obtain 3:1 side ratio specs for viewports underneath 538 pixels, with static picture sizes starting from 360×120 pixels minimal to 960×320 pixels most. Pill codecs make use of 6:1 ratios for viewports between 539 and 984 pixels, supporting photos from 720×120 pixels to 1920×320 pixels. Desktop specs make the most of 8:1 ratios for viewports exceeding 985 pixels, accommodating photos between 960×120 pixels and 2560×320 pixels. Cell functions obtain 2:1 side ratios at 300×150 pixels.

Implementation requires retailers’ advert servers to ship single requests for “flexi” slots with out specifying fastened dimensions. Responsive asset definition supplies supply photos optimized for core side ratios. The HTML factor permits browsers to pick and obtain solely the asset matching customers’ viewports.

The rules embrace complete code templates and cross-device compatibility testing suggestions. Technical documentation emphasizes viewport-based media queries and fluid CSS, eliminating necessities for customized breakpoints or extra scripts.

Three major advantages drive the standardization effort. Broader entry to model programmatic budgets turns into potential by way of constant codecs aligning with present promoting know-how infrastructure. Operational effectivity improves by lowering format fragmentation that complicates marketing campaign administration throughout a number of retail media networks. Enhanced shopper expertise outcomes from constant, viewable placements that combine seamlessly inside retail web sites.

The proposal acknowledges video’s rising significance inside retail media whereas focusing standardization efforts on static show codecs. The advice to undertake normal show codecs goals to streamline promoting supply whereas preserving alternatives for retailer differentiation.

Trade context

European retail media spending reached €11.1 billion in 2024, representing 22.1% growth in comparison with the broader promoting market’s 6.1% growth. This development trajectory has accelerated demand for measurement consistency and operational standardization throughout networks.

Measurement and attribution standardization topped business priorities, cited by 78% and 69% of respondents respectively in IAB Europe’s July 2025 analysis. Brands working with four to six retail media networks doubled from 10% to 24% between 2024 and 2025, intensifying wants for comparable metrics throughout platforms.

IAB Europe’s retail media certification programme launched in October 2024, with Albert Heijn changing into the primary licensed community in September 2025. The programme makes use of impartial auditors to confirm compliance with measurement requirements.

Technical infrastructure improvement continues throughout the sector. IAB Tech Lab finalized OpenRTB specification updates for product listing ads in January 2025, facilitating standardized programmatic media shopping for for retail and commerce platforms. Programmatic solutions for retail media sponsored products emerged through partnerships enabling real-time bidding throughout a number of networks.

The general public remark interval supplies stakeholders alternative to affect last specs earlier than implementation. Trade members can evaluation documentation and submit suggestions to [email protected] by way of November 14, 2025.

Marie-Clare Puffett emphasised the collaborative method: “That is why we’re inviting open business enter earlier than finalising them.”

Why this issues for entrepreneurs

The standardization initiative addresses basic operational challenges limiting retail media adoption. With out constant measurement frameworks, entrepreneurs wrestle to allocate budgets successfully throughout networks or reveal marketing campaign efficiency to stakeholders.

Media agencies reported declining satisfaction with retail media networks from 66% to 44% regardless of 20% price range development, highlighting the disconnect between funding ranges and operational maturity. Measurement standardization gaps create friction as companies try strategic oversight throughout a number of platforms.

Retail media is projected to capture 20% of global advertising revenue by 2030, exceeding $300 billion in spending. Technical standardization turns into important infrastructure enabling this development trajectory. Constant measurement methodologies and versatile advert codecs scale back boundaries to entry for advertisers whereas enhancing operational effectivity for retailers.

Platform integration continues advancing, with main promoting know-how suppliers incorporating retail media stock into unified interfaces. Standardized specs facilitate these integrations by establishing frequent technical foundations throughout numerous retail environments.

The paperwork tackle particular ache factors recognized by way of business analysis. First-party information entry stays the dominant driver of buy-side funding at 87%, whereas point-of-sale shopper attain elevated from 74% to 79% between 2024 and 2025. Standardized measurement permits advertisers to guage these capabilities constantly throughout networks.

Off-site retail media funding demonstrated exceptional development, with consumers allocating greater than 41% of digital spend to off-site codecs leaping from 30% to 46%. Show commercials lead off-site exercise at 58%, adopted by social media at 55% and linked tv at 31%. Versatile advert format specs assist this growth by enabling constant inventive deployment throughout numerous channels.

Timeline

Abstract

Who: IAB Europe’s Retail & Commerce Media Committee, working with the Retailer Council, developed each paperwork. The group invitations suggestions from advertisers, companies, retail media networks, and know-how suppliers throughout European markets.

What: Two paperwork open for public remark: Commerce Media Measurement Requirements V2 (up to date from April 2024 retail media requirements) and Versatile Advert Measurement Tips for Retail Media Networks (based mostly on Tesco Media answer). The measurement requirements broaden scope to fast commerce with refined metrics for gross and web gross sales. The format tips suggest 4 versatile side ratios masking cell, pill, desktop, and cell app environments.

When: IAB Europe introduced the general public remark interval on October 9, 2025, from Brussels, Belgium. The measurement requirements had been up to date in September 2025. Trade stakeholders can submit suggestions till November 14, 2025.

The place: The requirements apply throughout European retail and commerce media markets, which reached €11.1 billion in spending throughout 2024. Suggestions submissions go to [email protected].

Why: Standardization addresses operational fragmentation limiting retail media development. 70% of consumers cite lack of requirements as funding boundaries, whereas 78% establish measurement as requiring standardization. The initiatives purpose to unlock effectivity, consistency, and belief throughout commerce and retail media by way of comparable metrics and decreased format proliferation.