Albertsons Media Collective, the retail media arm of Albertsons Companies (NYSE: ACI), has launched a new integration with Criteo (NASDAQ: CRTO) that places sponsored product discovery directly inside Albertsons' AI-powered conversational search experience, marking one of the first retail media moves to monetize AI-driven shopping discovery at scale.
What the Integration Does
The partnership brings eligible sponsored products into the product carousels generated by Albertsons' AI-powered conversational search tool, allowing brands to appear naturally as shoppers ask questions, plan meals, or build out their baskets.
Rather than relying on traditional keyword-based search ads, the integration is designed to surface relevant products within the flow of a conversation, modernizing the in-app search experience and giving advertisers a new way to connect with shoppers closer to the moment of purchase.
Why It Matters for Shoppers
Albertsons' AI-powered conversational search is built to make grocery shopping easier and more personalized, helping customers find products, plan meals, compare options, and build baskets through a conversational experience shaped by their searches, inputs, and stated preferences.
Instead of starting with a specific item in mind, shoppers can begin with a broader need, such as planning a meal or restocking for the week, and move directly from inspiration to basket building. Over 85% of Albertsons' AI-powered conversations begin with open-ended or exploratory questions, underscoring how central discovery-driven search has become to the shopping journey.
"As shoppers use AI and conversational experiences to explore options, brands have an opportunity to put customers first by connecting them to the right products in the moments that matter, meeting their needs with relevance while making retail media feel effortless and organic."— Jill Pavlovich, SVP, Digital Customer Experience, Albertsons Companies
A Brand Partner's Perspective
For consumer packaged goods brands like McCormick, the integration offers a way to participate in the weekly shop in a manner that feels native to how shoppers already plan meals and discover new products.
"In grocery, so many decisions happen in the context of a weekly shop, from discovering new products to planning meals. Being part of an experience like Albertsons Cos.' AI-powered conversational search lets us introduce our brands in a way that feels genuinely helpful to shoppers, while giving us a clearer view of how those moments translate into consideration and sales."— Jenny Dickinson, eCommerce Customer Business Manager, McCormick