Iceland is preparing to introduce thousands of digital screens across its store estate as part of a major push into retail media.

The frozen food specialist has promoted category trading manager Adam Smith to head of retail media, who will head up the retailer’s first dedicated in-house team, The Grocer reported.

The department will be responsible for all elements of the retailer’s retail media, including screens, online advertising and traditional PoS across Iceland and Food Warehouse.

Iceland’s previous retail media function was handled by external contract agencies, who would then report to buyers – this has now been taken over by Smith and his new team.

The new division will also oversee a rapid expansion of Iceland’s retail media offer across its entire store estate.

The supermarket chain has already rolled out digital screens in some of its newer format stores but has yet to introduce them to the majority of its store estate.

As part of its push into retail media, Iceland also plans to increase its online capabilities to strengthen the level of analytics and insights that can be offered to its suppliers.

The supermarket joins the likes of Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda, which has strengthened its retail media offer in recent months.

Last month, Asda introduced its first automated free sample vending machine at its Pilsworth store in Bury, in what it described as a “first to market innovation” that will “revolutionise in-store sampling”.

Shoppers at the branch can access free samples through the Asda Rewards app, with Müller offering Frijj as the first product.

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