IAB Europe opens public comment on commerce media standards

IAB Europe launched two documents for public comment on October 9, 2025, targeting standardization across the retail and commerce media sector. The Brussels-based organization invited industry stakeholders to review updated measurement standards and flexible ad format guidelines until November 14, 2025.

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

Updated measurement framework

The Commerce Media Measurement Standards V2 builds upon April 2024's initial Retail Media Measurement Standards. Updated in September 2025, the revised framework incorporates industry feedback collected over 17 months of implementation.

"Standardisation is crucial to unlocking efficiency, consistency, and trust in Retail and Commerce Media," stated Marie-Clare Puffett, Industry Development & Insights Director at IAB Europe. "These two documents represent important steps forward, but we want to ensure they reflect the needs and realities of all stakeholders."

The updated standards expand beyond traditional retail environments. Quick commerce receives dedicated metrics for the first time, reflecting the sector's rapid growth across European markets. Future editions plan coverage for travel and finance verticals.

Technical specifications include refined measurement funnels with distinct definitions for gross and net sales. The framework provides detailed explanations for media metrics, attribution methodologies, and commerce-specific adjustments. Simplified reporting enables brands and agencies to compare performance across multiple retailers through consistent metrics.

The standards focus exclusively on online measurement for on-site and off-site retail media. Separate guidance addresses in-store retail media, which received industry-wide measurement standards in September 2024. The documents acknowledge growing importance of omnichannel campaigns combining digital and physical retail touchpoints.

Flexible ad format solution

Traditional ad formats struggle to integrate within retailer websites, according to IAB Europe's analysis. This technical incompatibility has driven proliferation of bespoke formats. While customized solutions can enhance engagement, they increase operational complexity and strain advertiser resources.

The Flexible Ad Size Guidelines address this fragmentation through standardized specifications. Based on a solution developed by Tesco Media and refined through IAB Europe standards workshops, the proposal introduces four core aspect ratios covering mobile, tablet, desktop, and mobile app environments.

Mobile devices receive 3:1 aspect ratio specifications for viewports under 538 pixels, with static image sizes ranging from 360×120 pixels minimum to 960×320 pixels maximum. Tablet formats employ 6:1 ratios for viewports between 539 and 984 pixels, supporting images from 720×120 pixels to 1920×320 pixels. Desktop specifications utilize 8:1 ratios for viewports exceeding 985 pixels, accommodating images between 960×120 pixels and 2560×320 pixels. Mobile applications receive 2:1 aspect ratios at 300×150 pixels.

Implementation requires retailers' ad servers to send single requests for "flexi" slots without specifying fixed dimensions. Responsive asset definition provides source images optimized for core aspect ratios. The HTML <picture> element enables browsers to select and download only the asset matching users' viewports.

The guidelines include comprehensive code templates and cross-device compatibility testing recommendations. Technical documentation emphasizes viewport-based media queries and fluid CSS, eliminating requirements for custom breakpoints or additional scripts.

Three primary benefits drive the standardization effort. Broader access to brand programmatic budgets becomes possible through consistent formats aligning with existing advertising technology infrastructure. Operational efficiency improves by reducing format fragmentation that complicates campaign management across multiple retail media networks. Enhanced consumer experience results from consistent, viewable placements that integrate seamlessly within retail websites.

The proposal acknowledges video's growing importance within retail media while focusing standardization efforts on static display formats. The recommendation to adopt standard display formats aims to streamline advertising delivery while preserving opportunities for retailer differentiation.

Industry context

European retail media spending reached €11.1 billion in 2024, representing 22.1% growth compared to the broader advertising market's 6.1% expansion. This growth trajectory has accelerated demand for measurement consistency and operational standardization across networks.

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

IAB Europe's retail media certification programme launched in October 2024, with Albert Heijn becoming the first certified network in September 2025. The programme utilizes independent auditors to verify compliance with measurement standards.

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

The public comment period provides stakeholders opportunity to influence final specifications before implementation. Industry participants can review documentation and submit feedback to retailmediastandards@iabeurope.eu through November 14, 2025.

Marie-Clare Puffett emphasized the collaborative approach: "That's why we're inviting open industry input before finalising them."

Why this matters for marketers

The standardization initiative addresses fundamental operational challenges limiting retail media adoption. Without consistent measurement frameworks, marketers struggle to allocate budgets effectively across networks or demonstrate campaign performance to stakeholders.

Media agencies reported declining satisfaction with retail media networks from 66% to 44% despite 20% budget growth, highlighting the disconnect between investment levels and operational maturity. Measurement standardization gaps create friction as agencies attempt strategic oversight across multiple platforms.

Retail media is projected to capture 20% of global advertising revenue by 2030, exceeding $300 billion in spending. Technical standardization becomes critical infrastructure enabling this growth trajectory. Consistent measurement methodologies and flexible ad formats reduce barriers to entry for advertisers while improving operational efficiency for retailers.

Platform integration continues advancing, with major advertising technology providers incorporating retail media inventory into unified interfaces. Standardized specifications facilitate these integrations by establishing common technical foundations across diverse retail environments.

The documents address specific pain points identified through industry research. First-party data access remains the dominant driver of buy-side investment at 87%, while point-of-sale consumer reach increased from 74% to 79% between 2024 and 2025. Standardized measurement enables advertisers to evaluate these capabilities consistently across networks.

Off-site retail media investment demonstrated remarkable growth, with buyers allocating more than 41% of digital spend to off-site formats jumping from 30% to 46%. Display advertisements lead off-site activity at 58%, followed by social media at 55% and connected television at 31%. Flexible ad format specifications support this expansion by enabling consistent creative deployment across diverse channels.

Timeline

• April 2024: IAB Europe releases first Retail Media Measurement Standards
• September 2024: IAB and IAB Europe release in-store retail media measurement standards
• October 2024: IAB Europe launches retail media certification programme
• January 2025: IAB Tech Lab finalizes OpenRTB specification updates for product listing ads
• March 2025: IAB Europe releases updated retail media definitions
• July 2025: IAB Europe publishes retail media best practice guides
• July 2025: Pentaleap and Teads announce RTB integration for retail media
• September 2025: Albert Heijn becomes first certified retail media network
• September 2025: Criteo becomes first onsite retail media partner for Google Search Ads 360
• October 9, 2025: IAB Europe opens public comment on Commerce Media Measurement Standards V2 and Flexible Ad Size Guidelines
• November 14, 2025: Public comment period closes

Summary

Who: IAB Europe's Retail & Commerce Media Committee, working with the Retailer Council, developed both documents. The organization invites feedback from advertisers, agencies, retail media networks, and technology providers across European markets.

What: Two documents open for public comment: Commerce Media Measurement Standards V2 (updated from April 2024 retail media standards) and Flexible Ad Size Guidelines for Retail Media Networks (based on Tesco Media solution). The measurement standards expand scope to quick commerce with refined metrics for gross and net sales. The format guidelines propose four flexible aspect ratios covering mobile, tablet, desktop, and mobile app environments.

When: IAB Europe announced the public comment period on October 9, 2025, from Brussels, Belgium. The measurement standards were updated in September 2025. Industry stakeholders can submit feedback until November 14, 2025.

Where: The standards apply across European retail and commerce media markets, which reached €11.1 billion in spending during 2024. Feedback submissions go to retailmediastandards@iabeurope.eu.

Why: Standardization addresses operational fragmentation limiting retail media growth. 70% of buyers cite lack of standards as investment barriers, while 78% identify measurement as requiring standardization. The initiatives aim to unlock efficiency, consistency, and trust across commerce and retail media through comparable metrics and reduced format proliferation.