Nectar360 First UK Retail Media Network to Achieve IAB Europe Certification
London, UK, 1st July 2026: IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital advertising ecosystem, has announced that Nectar360, the Retail Media, Loyalty and Insights business of the Sainsbury’s Group, has successfully achieved certification under its Retail Media Certification Programme, following an independent audit carried out by ABC.
This milestone follows the successful certification of Albert Heijn in 2025, marking Nectar360 as the first UK retailer to complete the programme, reinforcing growing industry adoption of 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. By completing the audit process, Nectar360 demonstrates alignment with industry-agreed standards that support transparent reporting and more consistent campaign evaluation for advertisers and agencies.
Unlike traditional measurement frameworks, IAB Europe’s programme enables retailers to validate specific elements of their Retail Media offering. Nectar360’s certification covers Display and Video Ad Products for Off-Site Properties, including Meta (Instagram and Facebook), Google DV 360, and Google YouTube, ensuring that key performance metrics are defined and reported in line with programme requirements.
Commenting on Nectar360’s certification, IAB Europe’s Senior Director, Industry Development & Marketing, Marie-Clare Puffett, said, “Congratulations to Nectar360 on achieving certification, an important milestone for both their business and the industry. Following Albert Heijn, it’s encouraging to see another leading retailer complete the process, signalling growing momentum. Each certification helps strengthen transparency and comparability in Retail Media, building greater trust across the ecosystem. ABC has played an important role as an independent auditor in these early stages of the programme, working closely with us as the standards are applied in practice. Their practical audit insight has helped support a robust, clear and workable certification process as the programme continues to scale ”
For Nectar360, the certification reinforces its focus on delivering accountable media solutions to brand partners, while contributing to wider industry alignment at a time of rapid retail media growth.
Amir Rasekh, Managing Director, Nectar360, 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.”
Clare Langstaff, Audit Director at ABC, also commented on this achievement, saying, “Congratulations to Nectar360 on becoming the first UK Retail Media Network to achieve IAB Europe Retail Media Certification. As the independent auditor, we reviewed the 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. 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.”
Expanding Certification Across the Ecosystem
Alongside the growing number of certified retailers, IAB Europe is now advancing the next phase of the programme, with Ad Tech companies actively progressing through the certification process. With both retailers and Ad Tech companies currently at various stages of auditing, this momentum reflects a clear industry drive towards greater transparency in Retail Media measurement and reporting.
This expansion aims to create greater alignment between retailers and technology partners, supporting more consistent measurement and improved interoperability across the Retail Media landscape. The programme’s influence is also extending beyond Europe, with IAB Australia adapting Retail Media Certification for the APAC region.
To find out more about the Retail Media Certification Programme, visit IAB Europe’s website here. Companies interested in participating can also register their interest via the programme page.