Q2 2025 Retail Media Benchmark Report Preview

Get an early look at the performance data shaping your next-quarter strategy.

Retail media continues to evolve fast in 2025, and brands need quick, actionable insights. Our Q2 Preview report distills the key insights you need now. From ad performance trends to category benchmarks and platform breakdowns across Amazon Ads, Walmart Connect, and Instacart, get a fast, focused and actionable snapshot.

Stay tuned —our full report drops later this month with a deeper dive, including Prime Day results, category trends, European data and strategic takeaways for the second half of the year.

Amazon Ads U.S. Walmart Connect Instacart Ads Category Trends

Amazon Ads US Trends

Brands increased their average daily spend on Amazon quarter-over-quarter, with Sponsored Brands rising by 4.2% and Sponsored Products by 7.8%. This uptick in ad investment reflects efforts to sustain sales momentum amid the impact of new import tariffs.

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Walmart Connect Trends

Walmart advertisers responded to a 15% drop in CPCs and a 21.4% quarter-over-quarter increase in Sponsored Brands ROAS by raising their average daily spend. As a result, average daily spend grew by 12.4% QoQ and 37.8% YoY, as advertisers sought to capitalize on higher returns and lower acquisition costs.

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Instacart Ads Trends

Despite relatively stable CPCs (+1.15% QoQ, -2.2% YoY) and a 7.1% increase in CTR quarter-over-quarter, brands and agencies experienced declining ROAS on Instacart, down 4.3% QoQ and 5.4% YoY. In response, they reduced their average daily spend by 3.4% QoQ and 11.4% YoY.

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Category Trends

In Q2 2025, Electronics delivered the highest ROAS across 15 Amazon categories, rising 8.3% year-over-year to $11.73. Health & Household and Beauty & Personal Care saw the strongest growth in brand average daily spend, each up 24.7% YoY. Health & Household and Pet Supplies also recorded the highest overall average daily spend among brands this quarter. Pet Supplies experienced the largest YoY increase in CPC (+27.5%), far outpacing other categories, while Industrial & Scientific reported the highest CPC overall.

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