Nectar360 has become the first UK retail media network to achieve IAB Europe’s Retail Media Certification, as the industry pushes for more consistent measurement standards across the fast-growing channel.
The Sainsbury’s Group retail media, loyalty and insights business completed the certification following an independent audit by ABC.
The milestone follows the certification of Dutch retailer Albert Heijn in 2025 and marks the first time a UK retailer has completed the programme.
IAB Europe said the certification showed growing industry momentum behind standardised retail media measurement across Europe.
The Retail Media Certification Programme is designed to bring greater clarity and consistency to how retail media is measured and reported, giving advertisers and agencies more confidence when assessing campaign performance.
Nectar360’s certification covers display and video ad products for off-site properties, including Meta’s Instagram and Facebook, Google DV360 and YouTube.
The certification validates how key performance metrics are defined, calculated and reported across those channels in line with IAB Europe’s programme requirements.
IAB Europe senior director of industry development and marketing Marie-Clare Puffett said Nectar360’s certification was “an important milestone” for both the business and the wider retail media market.
“Following Albert Heijn, it’s encouraging to see another leading retailer complete the process, signalling growing momentum,” she said.
“Each certification helps strengthen transparency and comparability in retail media, building greater trust across the ecosystem.”
Nectar360 managing director Amir Rasekh said: “We’re incredibly proud to be the first UK business to achieve IAB Europe’s Retail Media Measurement Certification, an important milestone not just for Nectar360, but for the evolution of retail media as a whole.
“As the industry continues to scale, standardisation in measurement is critical. It underpins trust, enables better investment decisions, and ultimately drives stronger outcomes for our clients.
“We’re excited to be working alongside IAB Europe to help shape a more consistent and credible future for retail media.”
ABC audit director Clare Langstaff said the independent auditor had reviewed evidence supporting Nectar360’s measurement approach, tested campaign reporting and validated how key retail media metrics are defined, calculated and reported.
“This is an important milestone for the UK market and a positive step towards greater confidence in retail media measurement,” she said.
“Independent audit helps provide advertisers and agencies with greater assurance that reported metrics are aligned to industry standards and can be compared more consistently across the market.”
IAB Europe said the next phase of the programme would extend certification across the wider ecosystem, with ad tech companies now progressing through the audit process.
The organisation said the expansion would support better alignment between retailers and technology partners, improve interoperability and help create more consistent reporting across retail media.
The programme is also beginning to move beyond Europe, with IAB Australia adapting retail media certification for the APAC region.
For Nectar360, the certification strengthens its position in the UK retail media market at a time when grocers are competing to prove the value of their customer data, loyalty platforms and advertising networks to brand partners.
It also underlines a broader shift in grocery retail media, as advertisers demand clearer evidence of performance and more comparable reporting across different retailers’ media networks.
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