GROCERYSHOP 2024: FRESH RETAIL INSIGHTS ON THE GROCERY AND ECOMMERCE LANDSCAPE
DIGITS Recap: Key Themes and Takeaways from Groceryshop 2024
The DIGITS team had a front-row seat to Groceryshop 2024, and this year’s event certainly delivered fresh insights on the retail, grocery and eCommerce landscape. From the dominance of retail media discussions to the growing role of ad tech, here’s a rundown of the key themes we observed.
1. Retail Media: The Shift from Growth to Profitability
It’s no longer a question of if retail media will continue to grow, but rather how to make more money with it. Across the board—whether from tech companies, agencies, brands, or retailers—there was a clear focus on profitability. Incentives are being aligned internally to optimize retail media budgets and ensure ROI.
Retail media has matured, and it’s clear that everyone involved is looking for ways to scale. Conversations have moved beyond simply establishing RMNs (Retail Media Networks) to more sophisticated discussions around monetization, data integration, and programmatic advertising.
2. The Changing Face of Groceryshop: Smaller Booth Presence, Fewer Meetups
This year’s Groceryshop event saw a noticeable decline in the presence of major booth sponsors like Walmart, Criteo, and TikTok, as well as fewer formal meetups compared to previous years. The reasons could be tied to overlapping conferences or external factors like the pending hurricane in Florida, but it raises an important question: where does Groceryshop go from here? Six years ago, it filled a key industry gap, but it’s clear the event will need to adapt to maintain its relevance now that ecommerce is 20% of sales at major retailers. The “digital is important” evangelism is done.
3. Ad Tech Takes Center Stage
One of the major takeaways this year is the increasing role of Ad Tech in retail media. Companies like TheTradeDesk, PubMatic, Yahoo, and LiveRamp are driving the shift toward automating revenue streams. The focus is on data monetization, programmatic advertising, and audience extension—all of which are transforming how retail media operates.
What once felt like a simple equation of merchant + brand = digital endcap is now a highly complex, technology-driven ecosystem. Retailers are looking to Ad Tech to help scale their RMN offerings and unlock new streams of revenue both onsite and offsite.
4. In-Store Screens: Slowly Gaining Traction
While still in the early stages, in-store at-shelf screens are gaining attention. The tech is impressive, but questions remain around the ROI for rolling this out at scale. Which major retailer will take the plunge and commit to this technology in a big way? Who is going to commit the capital? It’s a space worth watching as it evolves.
5. Mid-Market RMNs and Brands: The New Hot Commodity
This year, mid-market RMNs like Meijer, HEB, and Hy-Vee were the darlings of the event. Tech companies are flocking to partner with these mid-tier retailers as larger retailers have already committed to their chosen platforms. Similarly, agencies are shifting their focus to emerging mid and small-size brands. Whereas in the past, big brands like Kellogg’s and PepsiCo were the main targets, today’s agencies are excited about working with newer, more available brands and their budgets.
6. Sessions Fell Flat: The Real Conversations Happened Elsewhere
For me, the sessions didn’t quite hit the mark this year. I spent less time in the formal presentations than in previous years, popping into a few only to realize they felt overly scripted and scrubbed by PR. The real value was found in networking and off-the-cuff discussions.
7. AI: Over-Hyped, Yet Under-Hyped?
While AI was a topic of discussion, it felt more like a “buzzword” than a true focus. A friend mentioned that “AI is the most over-hyped… and also under-hyped technology”. Right now, it feels like most AI discussions are centered on performance-improving algorithms or machine learning, but the real potential of AI is still on the horizon and no one has their arms around that.
Quick Hits
- Ibotta had a significant presence, marking the largest we’ve seen from them so far.
- Robotics and automation were surprisingly underrepresented this year.
- Podcasters continue to make waves, with growing recognition for names like OmniTalk and CPG Guys.
- The DIGITS team’s videos on LinkedIn were a hit! Multiple attendees mentioned they used our content to plan their coffee and dinner choices. (Be on the lookout for more of our content—we’ll keep bringing the insights!)
Final Thoughts
Groceryshop 2024 provided an invaluable look at where retail media is heading. The industry is quickly evolving with the integration of ad tech, AI, and a growing interest in mid-market RMNs. The future of retail media is being shaped by these trends, and at DIGITS, we’re excited to be at the forefront of helping brands and retailers navigate these changes.
As always, if you want to dive deeper into any of these topics or discuss how DIGITS can help your brand, feel free to reach out. Let’s keep the conversation going and keep innovating in retail media!
Dave Glaza, Founder & CEO of DIGITS, remains committed to bringing digital capabilities to physical stores!
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