Carrefour UAE Boosts Sales with Retail Media AI amid Industry Shift in Customer Engagement – Thursday, December 11, 2025

Carrefour UAE is leveraging retail media AI to drive sales growth and deepen customer engagement. This strategic initiative aligns with a broader industry movement toward harnessing AI technologies to optimize retail media networks (RMNs) and deliver measurable business results.

Who should care: VPs of retail, store operations leaders, eCommerce directors, customer experience teams, and retail technology decision-makers.

What happened?

Carrefour UAE has integrated retail media AI technologies to enhance both sales performance and customer interactions. While the company has not disclosed specific AI platforms or vendors, this initiative forms part of a deliberate strategy to leverage AI for optimizing retail media networks. The core objective is to boost sales by using data-driven insights to personalize customer experiences and streamline marketing efforts, thereby maximizing return on investment (ROI).

The adoption of AI in retail media is rapidly gaining traction as retailers seek to improve the precision and effectiveness of their advertising strategies. By tailoring promotions and content to individual customer preferences, AI enables more relevant engagement, which in turn drives higher conversion rates. Carrefour’s move reflects a growing trend in the Middle East, where digital transformation is accelerating and retailers are increasingly investing in advanced technologies to gain a competitive edge.

This initiative also signals Carrefour’s recognition of the critical role that AI can play in transforming traditional retail operations. By embedding AI into its retail media network, Carrefour aims to create a more agile, responsive marketing ecosystem that adapts in real time to consumer behavior and market dynamics. This approach positions the retailer to better meet evolving customer expectations while optimizing marketing spend efficiency.

Why now?

The timing of Carrefour UAE’s AI adoption coincides with a significant shift in the retail landscape toward digital transformation and AI-driven personalization. Over the past 18 months, there has been a notable surge in retailers investing in AI technologies to enhance their retail media networks, driven by the dual imperatives of delivering personalized customer experiences and achieving measurable sales outcomes.

This trend is especially pronounced in the Middle East, where rapid digital adoption and changing consumer behaviors are compelling retailers to rethink traditional marketing models. Carrefour’s initiative underscores the urgency for retailers to embrace AI now, as those who fail to adapt risk losing relevance in an increasingly competitive and technology-driven market.

So what?

Carrefour UAE’s deployment of retail media AI represents a strategic step that could redefine retail marketing standards in the region. By focusing on AI-powered personalization, Carrefour is positioned to enhance customer engagement significantly and drive incremental sales growth. This move highlights the transformative potential of AI to reshape retail media strategies, making them more targeted, efficient, and outcome-focused.

Importantly, Carrefour’s approach emphasizes the necessity of linking technology adoption to clear ROI and measurable business impact. As the retail environment continues to evolve rapidly, integrating AI into retail media networks will likely become essential for retailers aiming to stay competitive and responsive to consumer demands.

What this means for you:

• For VPs of retail: Evaluate opportunities to integrate AI technologies into retail media strategies to enhance sales and marketing effectiveness.
• For store operations leaders: Leverage data-driven insights enabled by AI to personalize customer experiences and optimize marketing campaigns.
• For customer experience teams: Explore AI applications that can improve customer engagement and satisfaction through tailored interactions.

Quick Hits

• Impact / Risk: AI adoption in retail media networks can significantly boost sales and engagement but requires vigilant management of data privacy and security risks.
• Operational Implication: Retailers must invest in AI technologies and build the necessary infrastructure and skills to implement and manage these systems effectively.
• Action This Week: Assess current retail media strategies for AI integration opportunities. Brief executive teams on AI’s potential benefits and challenges. Consider launching pilot projects focused on AI-driven personalization.