The news: Walgreens is making a renewed push to attract in-store retail media dollars. The pharmacy chain is partnering with retail media platform Looma to install digital screens in 1,200 stores by early 2027, per a LinkedIn announcement from John Storms, Walgreens’ vice president of digital and retail media.

The details: Walgreens appears to have learned from its previous, ill-fated attempt to integrate digital screens into the in-store experience. This time, the displays will be placed adjacent to the products and categories they’re meant to support—rather than obscure them, as its cooler screens did. The retailer will also install two large screens near the front of the store and in pharmacy waiting areas.

• The screens will display a mix of ads and educational content created by Looma featuring experts and creators.
• Campaign performance will be measured using “full-funnel metrics” to deliver insights beyond how often an ad was played, Walgreens told Modern Retail.

The partnership extends Looma’s network, which currently includes more than 7,000 screens across 10 retailers, including Kroger, Harris Teeter, and BJ’s Wholesale. Once the Walgreens displays go live, Looma’s ad partners will be able to extend their campaigns to the retailer’s stores.

The opportunity: Walgreens’ revamped approach to in-store retail media could position the retailer to become a frontrunner in what is still a nascent channel. Its rollout combines elements that could make its network stand out, including product-adjacent placements and fuller-funnel measurement. The company told Modern Retail that its strategy this time around is to “[deliver] content designed to educate rather than interrupt shoppers” and to focus on higher-performing placements. Walgreens is particularly bullish on pharmacy area ads, given longer dwell times as shoppers wait to pick up their prescriptions or engage in other services.

Recommendations for retailers: In-store will account for less than 1% of omnichannel retail media ad spending this year, per our forecast. But it is in demand: Over 3 in 5 commerce media ad buyers invest in some form of in-store digital media, according to EMARKETER’s September 2025 Commerce Media Ad Buyer Insights survey.

Don’t disrupt the customer experience. Place screens in areas like end caps where they are visible but not intrusive. Avoid inserting ads in places that would add friction for shoppers, such as in front of product displays.

Take advantage of third-party expertise. Partnering with companies like Looma that have a proven track record at other retailers and an extensive network can help minimize integration challenges and ensure greater measurement consistency.

Experiment with content. In addition to educational and influencer content, retailers and brands should test whether different forms—such as microdramas or other scripted material—increase engagement and drive incremental sales.