Every January, retailers gather in New York City for the National Retail Federation’s Big Show to get the latest on everything from theft-prevention gadgets and biometric trackers for workers to tactics for preventing frequent returns among customers.
And retail media now has a dedicated section at the conference, since an increasing part of retailers’ margins comes from selling ads, not selling products.
The growth in retail media comes as retailers are going through a transformation. Malls are making a comeback (maybe) and in-store retail is adding more friction (those locked-up compartments), as online shopping becomes even faster and more frictionless to spur consumption.
All of these dynamics were on display at the conference, as AdExchanger Senior Editor James Hercher reports.
Privacy priorities in 2026
Then, we give a 10-minute primer on privacy priorities for 2026. Regulators are focusing their attention on three main areas: kids, health and AI.
Anyone processing data, targeting ads or running campaigns on or about kids or health should know a misstep could attract the attention of organizations like the FTC.
And AI, an emerging area, is amplifying the potential harms of targeting kids. For example, AI chatbot therapists, and kids using chatbots to the detriment of their mental health, are attracting attention in mainstream media.
Is your ad platform’s agentic interface smart enough to know when it’s being asked for data about kids or health? As AI technology matures and adoption increase, 2026 will likely hold some attention-grabbing developments on the privacy front.
