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UK digital adspend in H1 2026 exceeds whole of 2020

UK digital adspend in H1 2026 exceeds whole of 2020

29 Sep 2026 | Jack Benjamin

The UK digital ad market grew 13% year-on-year in H1 2026 to £21.6bn, according to IAB UK. The expenditure is greater than £5bn more than was spent on digital channels in all of 2020.

AI is ‘supporting rather than disrupting’ increasingly concentrated ad market growth — for now
AI is ‘supporting rather than disrupting’ increasingly concentrated ad market growth — for now
09 Sep 2026 | Jack Benjamin
Four things you need to know about the Amazon advertising lawsuit
Four things you need to know about the Amazon advertising lawsuit
02 Sep 2026 | Charli West
Agentic commerce is reshaping how consumers choose. The UK’s opportunity to lead is now.
Agentic commerce is reshaping how consumers choose. The UK’s opportunity to lead is now.
26 Aug 2026 | Paul Dahill
HFSS promo ban doubles down interest on omnichannel advertising
HFSS promo ban doubles down interest on omnichannel advertising
12 Aug 2026 | James Dunaj
Big Tech’s AI costs have surged. Can ad revenues keep up?
Big Tech’s AI costs have surged. Can ad revenues keep up?
02 Aug 2026 | Jack Benjamin

Don’t let short-term ROI re-write your marketing budget

27 Jul 2026 | Felicity Bowen

The very things that make in-store feel safe are precisely what make it risky when overused, writes Spark Foundry’s strategy partner.

Nectar360 Pollen says quarter of sales driven by upper- and mid-funnel retail media

24 Jun 2026 | Charli West

Early results from Sainsbury’s retail media platform claims campaigns deliver 2.5x higher incremental sales from omnichannel campaigns.

Why agentic commerce media will be a parallel universe for human-facing advertising

24 Jun 2026 | Helen Johnson

Agentic commerce will not replace traditional marketing. Instead, it will create a complex parallel operating system alongside existing consumer marketing, adding another layer of fragmentation, co-ordination challenges and competing priorities for brands.

Retail Media – Week in Focus recap

11 May 2026 | Charli West

Last week, The Media Leader took a deep dive into retail media, reporting on the latest updates and hearing from key industry leaders on the challenges, trends and future of this fast-growing media channel.

Why shoppability is becoming infrastructure across content, media, and platforms

08 May 2026 | Sarah Lawson Johnston

Platforms built for discovery are being recalibrated for transactions. Youth generations demand it, so publishers and brands need to adapt for it, writes the MD EMEA at Vudoo.

Why retail media doesn’t need more scale, it needs a smarter route to market

08 May 2026 | Claire Trbovic

Retail media faces rapid, structural fragmentation, which threatens to stall its momentum. SMG’s global head of product outlines her solution based on collaboration and a mindset shift. 

Retail media grows 17.5% to reach £3.7bn, finds AA/WARC Expenditure Report

08 May 2026 | Charli West

Retail media is now being presented publicly as its own channel in the AA/WARC Expenditure Report, with forecasts suggesting its rapid growth will continue in 2026 and 2027.

How will retail media affect the future of advertising?

07 May 2026 | Jack Benjamin and Charli West

Media leaders answer three questions about how retail media has developed, whether small players can compete, and what comes next.

Why retail media needs media planning with independence at the centre

07 May 2026 | Sam Drake

Independent retail media planning matters. Not to replace specialist expertise, but to ensure it operates against a coherent plan, not without one, writes Project5’s executive director. 

Six retail media trends that will change FMCG and CPG marketing forever

07 May 2026 | Helen Johnson

We’re on the brink of six major shifts that will fundamentally reshape retail and commerce media. Capture’s MD details the trends to watch. 

+ More Retail Media

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