The Democratization of Retail Media: Challenges and Solutions

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Retail media has established itself as one of the most promising areas of digital marketing. Its ability to connect brands with highly engaged audiences, thanks to the use of first-party data, makes it a strategic channel with great potential for performance. However, its rapid growth has brought with it a classic problem in the advertising industry: fragmentation and operational complexity.

Today, there are more than 200 retail media networks (RMNs) in operation. Each has its own measurement systems, buying platforms, technologies, and operating methods. For advertisers, this results in chaotic management, with multiple vendors, disparate tools, and poorly integrated reports. What was supposed to be an agile and efficient channel is starting to resemble a maze.

A Case of Déjà Vu for Programmatic Advertising

Programmatic advertising was created precisely to address these kinds of inefficiencies: buying specific audiences without having to negotiate individually with each media outlet. But with the rise of retail media, we’re dangerously approaching a situation similar to that of a decade ago:“walled gardens,” isolated interfaces, and manual processes.

As a result, many agencies—especially independent or mid-sized ones—have to rely on managed services that involve endless emails, spreadsheets, and fragmented tools. Large media companies can navigate this ecosystem, but at the cost of very high operating expenses. And for smaller agencies, it’s simply an inaccessible channel.

The solution lies in simplification

As Mike Hauptman, founder of AdLib,, “if retail media is to deliver on its promise, the industry must facilitate access, standardize operations, and make the channel more accessible to all advertisers—not just big brands and holding companies.”

The key is to create centralized workflows that allow agencies to manage their campaigns from a single interface, without having to learn new tools or rely on multiple points of contact. A model that’s closer to the early days of programmatic advertising: checking a box instead of sending an email.

This would make it possible to activate and pause campaigns in real time, receive automatic updates, consolidate billing, and significantly reduce operating costs. For independent agencies, it also provides a competitive advantage: they aren’t burdened by legacy platforms or bloated structures, which gives them greater agility to adapt.

Signs of Change in the Industry

Some market trends are pointing in the right direction. One example is Kevel’s acquisition of Nexta, a retail media advertising platform. Kevel helps retailers launch their own media networks, while Nexta transforms those networks into self-serve environments and expands their inventory beyond the website. These types of partnerships are crucial for expanding the reach of retail media and making it more accessible to all players.

In Europe, this need for standardization is already beginning to be recognized. In Spain, some retailers, such as Carrefour and El Corte Inglés, are investing in strengthening their retail media platforms, but there is still a long way to go before they can offer open and scalable interfaces for agencies of all sizes.

Beyond Retail Media

The challenge isn’t limited to this channel. There is also a growing push to democratize access to connected TV (CTV), where startups like tvScientific and MNTN are enabling medium-sized companies to access formats previously reserved for major brands.

Similarly, digital commerce (commerce media) faces similar barriers. Without universal access and a streamlined structure, only the giants can compete. But if we can standardize processes and reduce costs, a wide range of opportunities will open up for thousands of advertisers.

And there’s another factor at play: privacy. The disappearance of third-party cookies is driving the emergence of new ad networks that combine data and media within closed ecosystems, creating even greater complexity. That’s why it’s time to rethink the model.

Conclusion

Retail media cannot become yet another barrier within the advertising ecosystem. If the goal is to efficiently reach high-value audiences, we need to simplify, standardize, and open up the channel to all stakeholders. The next major programmatic revolution should not focus solely on technology, but on making advertising simple again.

Communication Editorial Office