Loblaw Advance SVP Leanne Gibson on the future of retail media networks
Retail media networks have grabbed a lot of attention in recent years thanks to their rapid evolution from experimental ad platforms to high-margin revenue streams for retailers. We recently spoke with Leanne Gibson, senior vice-president at Loblaw Advance, about how grocers such as Loblaw are becoming media owners and intelligence providers, how AI is being leveraged in this space, and what retail media might look like in the years to come. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Retail media has become a significant revenue stream for retailers. What’s driving growth?
There are a couple of ways to look at it. Retail media is evolving beyond the shelf; it’s really becoming a core intelligence layer. Brands are realizing the value of retail data goes beyond advertising; it extends to addressing challenges across the entire marketing mix. If we think of Canada, specifically, retailers are shifting from being merchants to media owners, and [they are] increasing investment, not just in on site—in apps and web—but also in the store with intelligence measurement capabilities. That’s really where the value proposition lives.
How do you define success for a retail media network beyond ad revenue?
It’s the ability to make the insights we offer more accessible so brands can make faster business decisions. And this is where we have an incredible sales data platform, Loblaw Data Insights and Analytics (LDIA). And it plays a really critical role. It allows our partners the insights needed to manage their business effectively. We provide sales performance data, inventory levels, PC Optimum engagement, category-level performance and competitive benchmarks. So, to me, that insight and that level of information goes well beyond ad revenue. And we’re evolving it to include AI-powered insights to [deliver] those smarter, faster decisions. The new AI assistant that we’re rolling out allows you to ask a question in plain language and you’re going to get an easy-to-understand quick response.
Talk a bit more about how AI is being leveraged in the retail media space.
The real potential for AI is two things: its velocity and its accessibility. Internally, it’s allowing us to bring products to market faster and also to create frictionless experiences and simplicity for advertisers. At the end of the day, it makes complicated information more accessible to more business units, reducing the time from question to action and, ultimately, enabling brands to make faster, smarter decisions with more confidence.
READ: Loblaw Advance upgrades data and analytics platform
How can retail media networks maintain consumer trust while delivering targeted advertising?
The foundation is a responsible use of first-party data. But also, that has to include a clear value exchange for consumers. Consumers are generally receptive to ads when they’re relevant and they’re grounded in transparency and usefulness. So, we know trust is maintained when targeting feels helpful, when it doesn’t feel intrusive and consumers understand why they’re seeing an ad and it has a meaningful value to them. We spend a lot of time working with data governance and privacy to have the right design principles. Really, nothing is more important when we think of our end consumer.
How do you ensure retail media doesn’t come at the expense of the shopper experience?
Every decision we make is designed to enhance the shopper experience and the focus is on relevance over volume, ensuring ads are useful, are in the moment and support real shopper needs. We’re really intentional about protecting “high-intent journeys.”
What will retail media look like in grocery five years from now and beyond?
One of our leaders, Lauren Steinberg, tells this great story about her family grocery business and finding a 60-yearold video of her uncles talking about the same retail priorities we talk about today: assortment, shelf positioning, shopper engagement. It’s a lesson and a reminder that as much as there’s so much changing around us, we’re still focusing on the shopper experience. And that’s key. Making it easier for shoppers to find and discover new products and improve their experience and their lives—that’s going to remain unchanged over the next five years, 10 years, and for the foreseeable future. It’s really important to remember that. But beyond that, we’re going to see the continued shift to e-commerce, grocery delivery, and buy online/pickup in store; that’s going to impact and make changes along the path to purchase [in terms of] coming up with new tactics. And in-store digitization at scale; I think we’ll continue to see smarter stores in terms of measurable media environments, digital screens, smart placements, and then AI-driven optimizations. At the end of the day, I think retail and media will become predictive—automating targeting, spend and messaging in real time, and that’s exciting!
This article was first published in Canadian Grocer’s May 2026 issue.
