Khazina Digital · Revenue & Media
Retail Media Networks: Turning Your Screens Into a Revenue Line
How UK food and retail chains are quietly turning the screens they already own into a second revenue stream, without buying a single extra display.
For years, in-store screens were treated purely as a cost — hardware to buy, content to produce, a line item with no return beyond "it looks professional." That's changing fast. Retailers are realising the same screen showing today's specials can also carry a paid slot for a supplier, a local business, or a complementary brand, and suddenly the signage budget starts paying for itself.
"You already paid for the screen and the eyeballs walking past it. A retail media network is just deciding to charge someone else for a slice of that attention."
Why UK chains are paying attention now
Retail media has grown from a supermarket-only concept into something mid-size and independent chains can run themselves. Consumers rate digital signage as one of the advertising formats they view most favourably, ahead of social media and print, largely because it appears in the moment someone is already deciding what to buy. For a chain with an existing screen network, that trust is a sellable asset.
What a simple version looks like
| Chain size | Typical retail media setup | Who buys the slot |
|---|---|---|
| 10–25 screens | One paid slide in every 5–6 in the existing playlist | Local suppliers, complementary businesses |
| 25–100 screens | Dedicated ad zone on menu boards or window screens | National FMCG brands, drink and snack suppliers |
| 100+ screens | Structured ad inventory sold per site or per region | Media buyers, agencies, larger brand partners |
Keeping the balance right
The chains that get this wrong overload the screen with adverts and lose the reason customers looked at it in the first place. The ones that get it right cap paid content at around one slide in five or six, keep it visually consistent with the rest of the playlist, and treat the advertiser like a guest in their own shop window rather than a billboard tenant.
Where to start
Most chains start with one supplier relationship they already have — a drinks brand, a local bakery, a complementary local business — and prove the model on a handful of screens before opening it up more widely. It needs no new hardware, just a CMS platform that can schedule a separate content stream alongside your own.
Frequently asked questions
What is a retail media network?
It's when a retailer or restaurant sells advertising space on its own in-store or window screens to suppliers and brands, turning existing signage into a paid media channel rather than only an in-house marketing tool.
Is this only for large supermarkets?
No. Independent chains with as few as 10 to 15 screens can offer local suppliers or complementary businesses paid slots, usually managed through the same CMS platform already running their own content.
Do I need extra screens to start?
No. Most chains start by allocating a portion of their existing screen's playlist — for example one slide in every six — to a paid partner rather than installing new hardware.
How is revenue typically structured?
Most UK deals are a flat monthly or quarterly fee per screen or per site, agreed directly with the supplier or advertiser, rather than a complex programmatic auction — which suits the volumes an independent or mid-size chain works with.
Will this affect the customer experience?
Not if it's capped sensibly. Most operators limit paid content to no more than one in five or six slides so the screen still reads as useful information rather than an advert wall.
Want to know what your screens could earn?
Khazina Digital can map out a simple retail media layout for your existing screen network — no new hardware required.
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