Retail Media Insights · Sensor Tower · June 2026
Inside the Aisles of Grocery Retail Media
Grocery retailers have spent decades earning shopper loyalty, and that loyalty is now powering some of the most data-rich advertising platforms in retail media. We analyzed Q1 2026 activity across six of the leading grocery RMNs to see which networks are growing and which CPG brands are making the biggest moves.
Kroger Rang Up More Impressions Than Any Other Grocery RMN
Few retailers know their customers better than grocers. Years of loyalty card programs have given supermarket RMNs deep visibility into weekly shopping habits, brand preferences, and basket-level purchase data, making them uniquely compelling platforms for brand advertisers.
In Q1 2026, Kroger led all six measured grocers with 2.4B retail media impressions, outpacing all other networks by more than 2.5x. Albertsons ranked second at 950M, followed by Meijer (715M).
While Kroger Led in Scale, Meijer and Publix Grew the Fastest
To understand which grocery RMNs are growing the fastest, we indexed each network's monthly impressions to January 2024. Meijer emerged as the fastest growing network in the group, with impressions in March 2026 running nearly seven times higher than they were at the start of the measured period.
Publix also posted sustained growth, consistently running two to three times its January 2024 baseline through Q1 2026. The remaining four grocery RMNs were relatively steady across the period, with no obvious seasonal patterns driving activity up or down.
Grocery RMNs Leaned Into Facebook, While Kroger Casted the Widest Net
Facebook emerged as the dominant channel across grocery retail media in Q1 2026, ranking as the top channel at all six measured networks. Instagram also played a consistent supporting role, suggesting that supermarkets are leaning on Meta to drive broad reach within grocery audiences.
Albertsons and Meijer stood out with the largest share of OnSite Display impressions, reflecting a greater emphasis on reaching shoppers directly within the grocer's own digital environment. Kroger ran the most diversified channel mix of any grocer, posting the highest share of TikTok and Snapchat impressions.
Most Top CPG Advertisers Put Kroger First, With Notable Exceptions
In Q1 2026, the top grocery advertisers distributed their retail media impressions differently across RMNs.
Kroger captured the largest share of impressions for most leading advertisers, underscoring its scale and appeal as a broad-reach platform for CPG brands. Still, several other RMNs stood out among specific advertisers. For example, Albertsons captured the largest share of Unilever impressions (45%), while Meijer ranked first for Kraft Heinz (34%).
At Meijer, the Kraft Heinz activity was led by an "Upgrade Your Morning" campaign anchored by Just Crack an Egg, a microwavable breakfast kit.
In Q1 2026, P&G Reached New Heights on Grocery Retail Media
P&G’s presence at grocers told one of the more compelling stories of the quarter. After running at relatively modest levels since 2024, P&G's impressions on grocery RMNs spiked to 212M in Q1 2026, an increase of +930% YoY. The activity included support for 31 different brands, signaling a broad strategic shift rather than a single product push.
Crest generated the largest campaign across any grocery RMN in the quarter, driven by Instagram ads carrying an "Available at Kroger" tag, which were posted directly from Crest’s own handle.
P&G also used the Super Bowl to promote a multi-brand campaign with the tagline “Homegating Starts Here.” The concept showed how grocery RMNs can help household brands tap into major cultural moments, even when they’re not directly tied to food or beverage occasions.
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