Retail media is the new frontier of in-store communication. It’s no longer about limiting yourself to labels, price tags, or spot promotions, but rather building a dialogue with the consumer at the most crucial moment: the moment of purchase.
In Italy, wine, despite being a symbol of Made in Italy and an economic asset worth over €14 billion in annual exports (2024 data), has never had a true direct communication channel in large-scale retail. Traditional advertising campaigns are expensive and distracting, trade shows appeal primarily to industry insiders, and social media often remains self-referential. Meanwhile, more than 70% of bottles are sold in supermarkets, where wine still appears to be a “silent” category.
This is why retail media could represent a historic turning point.
Retail media: a structural change in Italy too
The phenomenon, already consolidated in the USA, UK and France, is spreading rapidly in our country too.
- Selex Media has launched a project with over 5,000 digital screens in stores, reaching 15.5 million households.
- Esselunga, Coop, and other retailers are developing proprietary platforms for banners, apps, and targeted newsletters.
- Amazon itself, through Amazon Ads, has accelerated Italian operators’ interest in retail media, demonstrating the model’s scalability.
Retail media is now considered one of the three pillars of the future of large-scale retail, along with omnichannel and artificial intelligence. For Italian wine, this means finally having access to a measurable, scalable, and, above all, contextual narrative space.
Because it’s a unique opportunity for wine
Wine thrives on stories, territories, people, and pairings—all elements that rarely emerge in the aisles, where price still dominates.
Retail media allows you to tell stories in a coherent way:
- where does a wine come from and what is its terroir;
- who produces it and with what philosophy;
- what makes it different from others in the same category;
- how to pair it with food, with quick and interactive tips;
- because it is worth the asking price, beating the race to the bottom.
The result is twofold:
- for producers, the opportunity to enhance their identity;
- for distributors, the opportunity to make an often flat and fragmented category more attractive.
A strategic tool in a critical phase
The numbers confirm it: in 2023, wine volumes in large-scale retail trade fell by -3.4%, and in 2024 by -1.3%, while average prices are growing erratically. The challenge isn’t just selling more bottles, but conveying perceived value.
With retail media, wine can:
- differentiate themselves narratively, not just graphically;
- support premium MDDs with digital content;
- give visibility to local wines, often relegated to the back of the shelves;
- activate personalized promotions, integrated with apps and loyalty cards;
- Educate consumers in seconds with videos, QR codes, and newsletters.
What does the supply chain need to seize the opportunity?
Retail media doesn’t happen on its own: it requires a change in mindset.
- Ready-made, multi-format content: professional images, short videos, and text-based storytelling.
- Basic digital skills: knowing how to position yourself in a push campaign or profiled banner.
- Collaboration between producers and distributors: it is necessary to develop shared formats that go beyond the supplier/customer logic.
- Medium-term vision: not spot actions, but a stable communications infrastructure.
From point of sale to digital: an integrated ecosystem
Retail media isn’t just in-store screens. It’s a system that can integrate:
- Loyalty app with food and wine pairing suggestions;
- Personalized newsletters for customer clusters;
- QR code on the bottles that open mini-video of the producer;
- Sponsored content in brand marketplaces;
- Phygital experiences that connect the aisle, e-commerce, and social media.
Consumers expect consistency and immediacy: those who can offer both will have a lasting competitive advantage.
The future of wine lies in retail media
Italian wine finally has access to a native communication space: profiled, measurable, and integrated with the act of purchasing. It’s a quiet revolution, one that won’t be driven by trade shows or social media, but by supermarket screens, loyalty apps, and targeted newsletters.
Those who can tell their story with valuable content, collaborate with distributors, and invest in this area will be able to transform the retail aisle into a vibrant narrative ecosystem. Others risk remaining stagnant on the shelf, not for lack of quality, but for lack of a voice.
