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Albertsons struggles to fend off competition from mass merchants and club retailers: The grocer is leaning on promotions, private labels, and its pharmacy business to attract value-focused shoppers.

An increasingly fragmented retail media ecosystem has made it difficult for advertisers to track campaign performance across multiple retail media networks (RMNs), said Liz Roche, vice president of measurement and media at Albertsons Media Collective.

Albertsons looks ahead: With the proposed Kroger merger in the rearview mirror, the grocer raised its annual profit forecast and mapped out its growth plans.

Albertsons blames Kroger for blocked merger: The grocer is seeking billions in damages, claiming the latter failed to make necessary concessions to appease regulators.

FTC scores another antitrust victory after judge blocks Kroger-Albertsons merger: The deal would reduce grocery competition and raise prices for shoppers, the court decided.

Retailers prepare for looser antitrust scrutiny under Trump: The environment is likely to be more favorable for blockbuster mergers like the Kroger-Albertsons deal.

Sweater weather has arrived, meaning pumpkin spice-flavored everything will flood retail shelves. But consumers鈥� price consciousness could make it difficult for retailers to encourage spending on discretionary purchases. That鈥檚 why Amazon, Target, and Albertsons are expanding their private label brands, leaning on fun, seasonal flavors and small indulgences to get consumers to splurge beyond their normal groceries.

Private labels drive long-term loyalty: That鈥檚 why Albertsons rolled out its first new brand in years and Stop & Shop launched a coffee brand.

Real-world example: Albertsons Media Collective and NBCUniversal. Albertsons expanded its CTV inventory to include video ads across NBCUniversal channels and publishers. Now, advertisers can widen their reach and use 础濒产别谤迟蝉辞苍蝉鈥� measurement tools鈥攊ncluding TransUnion鈥檚 marketing mix modeling (MMM) solution鈥攖o evaluate performance. This was originally featured in the Retail Media Weekly newsletter.

Albertsons marked the arrival of spring with several limited-edition, lemon-inspired food and beverage products across its Signature Select, Overjoyed, and Soleil private labels鈥攁dding seasonal excitement to its own brand portfolio.

Albertsons has launched an API enabling advertising partners to incorporate campaign results directly into their own measurement models鈥攁ddressing a significant pain point for advertisers struggling to compare performance across multiple networks. Albertsons has also explored acquiring media and publisher properties to incorporate into its owned channels.

We expect retailers to follow 础濒产别谤迟蝉辞苍蝉鈥� lead with more private label offerings. For example, the grocer recently rolled out a curated, Trader Joe鈥檚鈥憇tyle limited鈥憈ime drop of 鈥渓emon鈥慽nspired鈥� products that stretched across its Signature Select, Overjoyed, and Soleil lines. 3. Warehouse clubs widen their reach. Value hunting is also drawing Gen Z to warehouse clubs.

Looking ahead: While Kroger is in a stronger position than its failed acquisition target, Albertsons, questions remain about its ability to navigate the challenging environment ahead, especially after the abrupt departure of longtime CEO Rodney McMullen. For now, the company is sticking to its focus on its private-label business, strong loyalty program, and fast-growing retail media arm.

Albertsons Media Collective鈥檚 API enables marketers to integrate retail media campaign data into their own measurement models. Why it matters: By using APIs, advertisers can leverage their own tech stack and measurement tools to evaluate their retail media performance.

Kroger and Albertsons are also vulnerable, with 9.1% and 6.5% shares of SNAP grocery dollars, respectively. Among non-grocers, Amazon and Target command 15.2% and 5.6% of SNAP recipients鈥� non-grocery spending, while Home Depot holds a notable 5.5% share鈥攈ighlighting just how far SNAP dollars extend across retail categories.

I think such a smart sort of thing to be thinking about because a company like Albertsons is only going to get so far by monetizing their owned and operated channels. Grocery is still penetrated way deeper in terms of physical brick-and-mortar buying. And by moving offsite in this way, Albertsons is able to better scale the value of their first-party data.

Here鈥檚 how ad buyers ranked the retail media networks of 14 leading CPG-focused retailers鈥攊ncluding Ahold Delhaize, Albertsons, Amazon, Costco Wholesale, CVS, Instacart, Kroger, Target, and Walmart鈥攁ccording to the attributes they value most.

In fact, Amazon shoppers will see an average of 20 sponsored product ads per search result page, outpacing the average number of ads shown by CVS (13), Best Buy (8), Albertsons (7), or Target (4). By acquiring TikTok, Amazon would gain a platform with millions of users and a built-in social commerce business, enabling the retailer to scale its off-site business seamlessly, said Marzano.

Major players like Amazon, Albertsons Media Collective, and Instacart introduced shoppable CTV formats last year, underscoring the growing momentum. Consumer adoption lags behind. Some 43% of consumers wish they could shop online using their TV, according to LG Ad Solutions鈥� Shoppable TV report.

础濒产别谤迟蝉辞苍蝉鈥� same-store sales rose 1.4% in Q1: The grocer expects headwinds due to the confluence of rising labor costs, declining margins, and the cycling of food inflation.

Albertsons Companies鈥� retail media network (RMN) launched 鈥淐ollective TV,鈥� expanding its CTV ad offering, which includes a shoppable ad product for YouTube and other platforms. Combining premium video, RMN data, and frictionless checkout holds substantial potential. But it will create a complex framework for retailers to navigate.

Albertsons Companies鈥� retail media network (RMN) launched 鈥淐ollective TV,鈥� expanding its CTV ad offering, which includes a shoppable ad product for YouTube and other platforms. Combining premium video, RMN data, and frictionless checkout holds substantial potential. But it will create a complex framework for retailers to navigate.