Iceland brings in Epsilon to expand retail media network

Iceland Foods is aiming to making it easier for more brands to engage with its 9 million annual shoppers by enhancing its retail media capabilities, introducing offsite media, onsite video formats and a new auction-based buying models.

The move is the result of a new partnership with Epsilon, the Publicis-owned global data, technology and services company.

The new capabilities supplement Iceland’s partnership with GIG Retail, which enables onsite display ads and in-store digital screens. Now, with Epsilon on board, Iceland insists it is adding to the scale and maturity of its retail media offer, offering advertisers the ability to bid in real-time for both onsite and offsite placements, including video.

According to IAB Europe’s latest ‘Attitudes to Retail Media’ report, off-site investment has grown significantly; 46% of buyers allocated more than 41% of their digital spend to off-site in 2025. Despite this, only 30% of retailers and retail media neworks currently offer offsite ads.

Offsite capabilities allow campaigns to extend across wider digital environments, including online video and display channels, while onsite video placements offer richer ways to connect with shoppers directly in the purchase journey.

Iceland maintains that the expanded retail media network opens the door to brands looking to reach more price-sensitive and underrepresented consumers, broadening the types of advertisers who can participate and benefit from people-based media.

The partnership marks a further step towards Iceland’s ambition to build one of the most extensive full-funnel retail media propositions in the UK. Future phases will include connected TV and broader video activation, giving brands more ways to reach verified audiences across more screens and channels.

Iceland Foods head of retail media Adam Smith said: “Our partnership with Epsilon is a big moment for us. It ultimately gives our brand partners more choice, more channels, and the ability to reach our customers in a smarter, more dynamic way.

“It also means we can now open up our media to more types and sizes of brand advertisers. Today’s announcement is our latest commitment to providing a retail media platform that works for all brands and delivers value back to our shoppers.”

Epsilon president of Europe and APAC Tim Frankcom added: “Iceland has a clear ambition to build a modern, inclusive retail media offer and we’re proud to support that journey.

“By adding offsite scale, launching new formats like video, and introducing a flexible auction model, we’re helping unlock the full potential of people-based advertising. This gives brands a route to real people, not proxies, with measurable results across every touchpoint.”