EP37 – Adam Smith, Iceland Retail Media – the hard work to make screens awesome

Iceland Retail Media’s 5,000 Screen Rollout & The Future of Measurable In-Store Media This week on Retail Media Therapy, Viv Craske and Colin Lewis sit down with Adam Smith from Iceland Retail Media to unpack one of the most ambitious in-store retail media projects in the UK. Iceland isn’t just refreshing its network - it’s rolling out up to 5,000 in-store screens across in under a year. And they’re not just adding screens - they’re transforming measurement.

What You’ll Learn Resetting a Retail Media Network Iceland Retail Media relaunched in 2025 after restructuring its agency model. Screens have been part of the business for years - but this rollout takes them to an entirely new level. A fast-moving, privately owned business means rapid execution.

Why Screens? Why Now? Every major UK retailer is investing in in-store screens - the question is how well they measure. Iceland chose to double down on screens as a core channel of its retail media strategy. The rollout could become one of the largest non-London-centric in-store networks in the UK.

Clickstream for the Store Adam describes the ambition as bringing “clickstream media to bricks and mortar.” Key elements include: Real-time in-store impression measurement Dwell time tracking Viewable impression data Closed-loop attribution linking media exposure to EPOS sales The goal? Prove that £1 spent in-store can outperform £1 spent elsewhere.

Privacy-First Measurement Instead of cameras or facial recognition: Iceland is using millimetre-wave sensors Tracking is based on water-content scanning Each shopper is anonymised via temporary RFID tagging Fully GDPR compliant No personal identification or ongoing tracking This approach delivers measurable impressions without compromising shopper trust.

Beyond Media: Operational Insights The data doesn’t just power media measurement. It also enables: Live footfall tracking Customer flow mapping Hotspot identification Smarter merchandising decisions Better labour planning Retail media becomes infrastructure - not just advertising.

The Mustard Case Study A standout example with McCormick: AB test: stores with screens vs. without Non-promoted EDLP product 10% sales uplift Category share increase Clear link between impressions and sales And this isn’t just a one-off - this level of reporting is now standard for Iceland suppliers.

The Operational Reality Installing thousands of screens is no small task: Overnight installations in live retail environments Infrastructure challenges Store team coordination Retail media isn’t just marketing - it’s operations. Grace & Co | Retail Media Experts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.