Instacart partners with TikTok for grocery ads
4 min read
Instacart announced today a groundbreaking partnership with TikTok, becoming the first retail media network to offer end-to-end targeting and closed-loop measurement directly within TikTok Ads Manager. The integration allows select consumer packaged goods (CPG) advertisers to access Instacart's first-party audience data, dynamic grocery selection capabilities, and daily conversion measurement tools without leaving TikTok's platform.
The partnership enables brands to target high-intent shoppers using Instacart's audience segments, power shoppable ad formats through TikTok's Smart+ campaigns integrated with Instacart grocery data, and measure campaign performance in real-time using Instacart's conversion metrics. When users click on ads, they're directed to Instacart where items are added to their cart with delivery available in as quickly as 30 minutes.
Strategic Integration Creates New Commerce Pathway
"This partnership is grounded in helping CPG brands meet consumers at the moment of inspiration to drive action," said Ali Miller, General Manager of Advertising at Instacart. "By bringing our rich, first-party retail media data to TikTok, we're empowering brands to reach the right consumer, optimize their campaigns in real-time, drive attributable sales, and deliver truly seamless commerce experiences where people are spending their time."[1][2]
Lorry Destainville, TikTok's Global Head of Product Partnerships, emphasized the platform's commitment to connecting businesses with ready-to-act audiences. The integration leverages TikTok's 180 million monthly active users in the U.S., with 87% of users taking action after seeing content on the platform.[2][3][1]
The collaboration builds on Instacart's expanding advertising ecosystem, which includes partnerships with The Trade Desk and Pinterest that similarly connect the delivery platform's customer data with user activity to track whether ads lead to purchases. Instacart currently works with 7,500 brands and 1,800 retailers across 240+ grocery e-commerce sites.[3][4][1][2]
Market Impact and Industry Evolution
This partnership represents a significant milestone in retail media's evolution toward "everywhere media," where retail data powers connected advertising across the entire shopper journey. According to eMarketer, Instacart has transformed from a simple performance engine into a full-funnel, end-to-end marketing ecosystem over the past five years.[1]
Initially, the integration is limited to select CPG advertisers, which may constrain near-term reach. However, the partnership positions Instacart as a leader in the convergence of retail media and social commerce, enabling brands to bridge the gap between social engagement and grocery purchases with unprecedented precision.[2][3]
The announcement comes as Instacart shares traded higher by 0.37% to $38.02, with the company maintaining a market capitalization of nearly $10 billion and robust gross profit margins of 75%.[4][5]
Reference sources:
[1](https://www.emarketer.com/content/retail-media-next-act-instacart-goes-full-funnel-end-to-end)[2](https://www.stocktitan.net/news/CART/instacart-announces-first-end-to-end-retail-media-solution-on-tik-40ktxsb2ce2x.html)[3](https://searchengineland.com/instacart-tiktok-ads-manager-463072)[4](https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/10/48084173/instacart-teams-up-with-tiktok-on-retail-media-data)[5](https://www.investing.com/news/company-news/instacart-launches-first-endtoend-retail-media-solution-on-tiktok-93CH-4275406)[1](https://www.stocktitan.net/news/CART/instacart-announces-first-end-to-end-retail-media-solution-on-tik-40ktxsb2ce2x.html)[2](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/instacart-announces-first-end-to-end-retail-media-solution-on-tiktok-302576973.html)[3](https://www.investing.com/news/company-news/instacart-launches-first-endtoend-retail-media-solution-on-tiktok-93CH-4275406)[4](https://www.adweek.com/commerce/cpg-advertisers-can-now-target-instacart-shoppers-on-tiktok/)