# IAB survey: 43 percent of marketers underutilize in-store retail media despite full-funnel belief

*The gap signals opportunity for physical-product brands with shelf presence and creative that closes at point of decision.*

By **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA, Principal** — The Stash Edge, Hako Shikin LLC.
Published 2026-10-19.

Canonical: https://www.pops4.com/stash/articles/iab-and-grocery-tv-2026-10-19t06-5
Subject: IAB and Grocery TV
Tags: retail media, in-store advertising, grocery tv, point of purchase, shelf marketing, conversion

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A joint survey by the Interactive Advertising Bureau and Grocery TV found that **43 percent** of marketers say they underutilize in-store retail media, even as they recognize the channel's full-funnel capability, according to The Shelby Report. The research surfaces a meaningful adoption gap: marketers see the value, but most have not built the internal systems to activate it.

The channel works because it intercepts shoppers at the moment of highest commercial intent. A consumer standing in the aisle has already made the trip, navigated the store, and arrived at the category. In-store media closes the loop between awareness and conversion in a single environment, without the attribution lag of digital. The IAB/Grocery TV data confirms that marketers understand this mechanism, yet execution remains shallow.

The underutilization reflects structural friction, not strategic doubt. Most brands allocate media budgets by channel silos—digital, out-of-home, sponsorship—and in-store media often falls between teams. Procurement owns shelf placement, marketing owns awareness, and retail partnerships sit with sales. The result is a channel that everyone acknowledges but no single team owns. The **43 percent** figure quantifies the cost of that organizational gap.

For a physical-product brand with distribution, the steal is straightforward. Start with a single retail partner and a modest screen buy during a promotional window. Coordinate in-store media with an on-pack offer or a new SKU launch so the screen drives a measurable lift at shelf. Use a simple creative format: product shot, benefit line, price or promo, location pointer. Run the test for four weeks, pull POS data, and compare the promoted aisle to a control store. The cost is often below **$5,000** for a regional grocer, and the attribution is immediate.

The broader pattern is that in-store media rewards brands that can move fast and measure tightly. The IAB/Grocery TV survey reveals a channel with proven full-funnel utility and documented underuse. That combination creates pricing inefficiency. Screens in grocery, drug, and convenience remain cheaper per impression than most digital, and the audience is pre-qualified by physical presence. For a brand with shelf space and a clear conversion event, the play is to claim budget before the **43 percent** closes the gap and rates normalize.

The next move is to treat in-store media as a conversion channel, not an awareness play. Measure it against promotional lift and margin per door, not reach. Run a tight test, document the result, and scale into more doors with the same creative system.

## The takeaway

In-store retail media is underused by **43 percent** of marketers despite full-funnel belief—opportunity for brands with shelf space to test and scale.

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## Publisher

**Hako Shikin LLC** — Virginia Beach, Virginia. Founded 1997. ASI 217876 · DUNS 18-204-6339.
Principal and author: **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA**.

- Author: https://www.huanggoodman.com/about
- LLM context: https://www.pops4.com/stash/llms.txt
- MCP endpoint, for AI agents: https://mcp.pops4.com/mcp
- Client dashboard: https://dashboard.pops4.com/
- Catalogue: 70,000+ products, 200+ brands