Global retail media ad spend is set to hit $200.4 billion in 2026, with the U.S. once again outpacing Europe. Warc Media forecasts further growth to $223.4 billion in 2027.
Retail: Global Retail Media Ad Market Forecast to Top $200B in 2026
Worldwide retail media advertising is forecast to reach $200.4 billion this year, with the U.S. continuing to show stronger growth than Europe, according to WARC Media.
Global spending is expected to increase another 11.5% in 2027 to $223.4 billion, with retail media accounting for 15.2% of total global advertising investment as retailers continue to expand their advertising businesses across ecommerce, connected TV and physical stores.
Growth, however, is beginning to moderate. Excluding market leader Amazon, WARC expects global retail media growth to fall to 9.8% in 2027, the lowest annual rate since it began tracking the sector. As the market matures, in-store screens and campaigns spanning physical and digital channels are emerging as opportunities for further growth.
U.S. outpaces Europe
The U.S. is the industry’s largest market and one of its strongest. WARC forecasts U.S. retail media network spending will reach $74.9 billion in 2028, representing 13.6% growth that year.
European growth is expected to slow to single digits, although the market remains substantial. Amazon remains dominant on both sides of the Atlantic. It accounted for 78% of U.S. retail media spending in 2025, while more than two-thirds of retail media spending in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK went to Amazon.
In-store media remains underdeveloped
For the digital signage industry, one major opportunity lies inside physical stores. More than 60% of U.S. grocery shoppers say they purchased a product directly after seeing it on an in-store screen, according to research cited by WARC, yet in-store remains one of the least developed areas of retail media.
“Success now depends on smart integration with other channels and finding the optimal path to sustainable results,” said Alex Brownsell, head of content at WARC Media.
That integration could give in-store digital media a larger role as retailers look beyond ecommerce advertising and seek to connect campaigns across online, connected TV and physical retail environments.