As retail media continues to emerge as one of the fastest-growing advertising channels worldwide, brands are demanding greater transparency and more accurate ways to measure the effectiveness of their investments. While retail media spending is expected to rise significantly in 2026, many marketers still struggle to accurately evaluate campaign performance across different retailers, markets, and media channels. Addressing this challenge, consumer intelligence leader NIQ and retail media network Unlimitail have announced a strategic collaboration aimed at transforming how retail media performance is measured and optimized.
The partnership brings together NIQ’s advanced consumer intelligence, analytics, and measurement capabilities with Unlimitail’s extensive international retail media ecosystem. Together, the companies plan to deliver next-generation retail media measurement solutions that provide brands and retailers with a more comprehensive understanding of campaign effectiveness, consumer behavior, and return on investment.
According to industry research, retail media investment continues to accelerate globally, with 67% of chief marketing officers planning to increase spending on retail media networks (RMNs) in 2026. However, only 53% believe existing RMNs provide adequate measurement and attribution capabilities, highlighting a significant gap between advertising investment and performance accountability. The new collaboration is designed to close that gap by enabling marketers to connect media exposure directly to verified sales outcomes while gaining deeper insights into shopper behavior.
Unlimitail currently operates one of the world’s largest retail media ecosystems, spanning 21 countries and partnering with 35 retailers. Its network includes more than 120 retailer websites and reaches over 250 million loyalty cardholders worldwide. By integrating NIQ’s trusted measurement and analytics capabilities into this expansive ecosystem, advertisers will gain access to standardized performance metrics and richer consumer insights across multiple markets and retail environments.
The collaboration goes beyond traditional campaign reporting by enabling brands to evaluate the real business impact of retail media investments. Rather than relying solely on impressions, clicks, or engagement metrics, marketers will be able to understand how advertising exposure influences purchasing decisions, category growth, and long-term customer behavior.
As commerce and media become increasingly interconnected, advertisers face growing challenges in managing fragmented data sources and proving the effectiveness of marketing investments. The NIQ-Unlimitail collaboration addresses these challenges by combining retailer data, commerce information, and media performance into a unified measurement framework. This integrated approach will help brands optimize media strategies while making more informed investment decisions across retailers, countries, and channels.
A key component of the partnership is the deployment of NIQ’s measurement technology within Unlimitail’s evolving technology ecosystem. The integration will also include a privacy-safe data clean room environment alongside enhanced advertising technology infrastructure, allowing brands and retailers to collaborate securely while maintaining strict data privacy standards.
The first phase of implementation will begin with Carrefour operations in France, Spain, and Brazil. Pilot programs are expected to launch in mid-2026 before expanding to additional retailers and markets across Unlimitail’s global network.
The collaboration is expected to deliver several important benefits for advertisers and retailers. Brands will be able to measure sales impact by linking advertising exposure directly to verified purchases, compare campaign performance across multiple markets, standardize measurement across retailer ecosystems, and gain greater transparency into the effectiveness of retail media investments. In addition, the partnership will generate richer consumer, category, and market insights that support smarter campaign planning, optimization, and future AI-powered commerce applications.
Emilie Darolles, President of West Europe at NIQ, said retail media has become one of the industry’s most important growth drivers, but emphasized that its long-term success depends on transparency, trust, and measurable business outcomes.
She noted that as media and commerce continue to converge, marketers need consistent and reliable measurement tools that can evaluate campaign performance across retailers, channels, and geographic markets. Through its partnership with Unlimitail, NIQ aims to create a more connected measurement ecosystem that enables brands to move beyond assumptions and confidently demonstrate the value of every advertising investment.
The collaboration also represents a significant step toward breaking down the longstanding separation between media and commerce data. Historically, advertisers have found it difficult to consistently evaluate campaign performance across different retailers, consumer audiences, and international markets. By harmonizing retailer, media, and commerce datasets within a common analytical framework, the partnership seeks to provide a clearer and more complete view of advertising performance.
Alexis Marcombe, Chief Executive Officer of Unlimitail, described retail media as a strategic pillar of modern marketing and said the company’s objective is to equip brands and retailers with the technology, data, and insights needed to maximize campaign performance.
According to Marcombe, integrating NIQ’s trusted measurement capabilities into Unlimitail’s ecosystem will deliver a new level of accountability and transparency, benefiting advertisers, retail partners, and ultimately consumers through more relevant and effective marketing experiences.
The announcement reflects a broader transformation taking place across the retail media industry, where brands increasingly seek unified visibility across media, commerce, and consumer data. Leveraging its AI-powered analytics, global data ecosystem, and The Full View™ consumer intelligence platform, NIQ continues to help organizations convert complex data into actionable insights that drive business growth.
Representatives from both NIQ and Unlimitail are expected to discuss the collaboration during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, where retail media innovation, measurement, and data-driven advertising are expected to be among the event’s major themes.
