NIQ: retail media takes 22% of US ad budgets, spread across six platforms

August 25, 2026 · datainsight

More than 22% of total US media budgets now go to retail media, per NIQ's report The Commerce Revolution: Where East Meets West, which draws on the Skai x Stratably 2026 State of Retail Media Study. Advertisers currently spread that spend across six retail platforms on average, and NIQ projects that number will climb to eight platforms by the end of 2026. Measurement stays split by campaign and retailer: 77% of organizations in the Skai x Stratably survey say they want better measurement solutions, and 68% say they are actively chasing efficiencies. The report contrasts this fragmented Western picture with Asia Pacific, where retail media sits inside unified super app experiences and 58% of consumers have adopted quick commerce, compared with 69% of North American consumers who have never used it.

Budgets split across eight retail platforms by the end of 2026 will demand measurement that compares results across networks, and NIQ's own data shows that gap is real: 77% of organizations surveyed already say their current tools fall short. Agencies planning US retail media spend for 2026 should budget for eight platforms and press retailers for consistent measurement standards before committing dollars. NIQ's wider signal is that AI-driven agentic commerce and quick commerce, both already established in Asia Pacific, are positioned to reshape how consumers discover and buy products before Western retail media measurement fully catches up.