Retail media continues to be one of the most rapidly expanding sectors in digital advertising. However, despite its growth potential, advertisers face significant hurdles when navigating the fragmented and complex buying landscape. Koddi, a leading player in retail and commerce media technology, has released its “State of Programmatic Retail Media” report, offering critical insights from senior media buyers at top brands and agencies across the U.S. The findings highlight a growing demand for Demand-Side Platform (DSP) access to simplify processes and encourage greater investment in retail media.

Findings and Implications from Koddi’s 2025 Report

1. Complexity in Buying Is a Barrier to Growth

• 61% of respondents agree that “buying retail media can be painful.”

• Fragmentation and the need to engage with multiple retail media networks create inefficiencies.

• The lack of a unified platform limits scalability and discourages larger media buys.

2. DSP Access as a Game-Changer

• 93% of advertisers say they’d shift more non-retail media budgets into retail media if DSP access were available.

• 96% of brands and agencies plan to buy or consider buying on-site retail media through a DSP.

• DSPs provide the seamless integration brands and agencies are used to when buying across other digital channels.

3. Demand for Consolidation

• 79% of media buyers believe brands will need to consolidate retail media partners in the near future.

• Consolidation can improve operational efficiency and ease media planning.

• DSPs offer a singular point of access, which aligns with agency infrastructure.

4. Operational Efficiency and Cost Savings Drive Demand

• 80% of respondents cited ease and efficiency as top reasons to shift budget to DSP-enabled retailers.

• Programmatic access enables unified buying, analytics, and reporting—lowering costs and reducing time-to-campaign.

5. A Call for Interoperability, Not Commoditization

• While streamlined access is a priority, brands don’t want to lose the premium value of retail media.

• The goal is not to commoditize inventory but to allow brands to activate and measure campaigns alongside broader media efforts.

• By offering DSP access, retailers can retain control while still attracting deeper advertiser investment.

Koddi’s report sends a clear message to the retail media ecosystem: the future lies in simplification, interoperability, and unified access. As more brands and agencies seek operational efficiency, the call for DSP integration is growing louder. Retailers that embrace DSP access won’t just meet demand—they’ll unlock incremental revenue and cement their position in the evolving ad tech landscape. Koddi, through its comprehensive platform, is enabling this transformation, empowering retailers to provide both control and accessibility in a rapidly shifting media environment.