United Arab Emirates

Middle Eastern cuisine generally comprises steamed, boiled and rice dishes. Therefore, both stove top cookware and ovenware are seen as essential in every household. These categories saw declines in 2020, as consumers reined in their discretionary…

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the economy of the United Arab Emirates hard in 2020, and this had a considerable negative impact on consumer spending power for much of the year, with concerns rising throughout the country and consumers saving their money.…

Retail current value sales of home furnishings declined for the first time in more than a decade during 2020. The economic shock of the pandemic had a significant negative effect on consumer confidence. This led some local consumers to reduce their…

Retail tissue has benefited from the emergence of the pandemic, due to home seclusion which saw a switch from the away-from-home channel to retail, in addition to the fact that many local consumers took additional precautions to maintain stringent…

Vending returned to growth in 2021, due to the removal of COVID-19 social distancing guidelines and the resumption of hybrid working. Furthermore, the hosting of Expo 2020, which was delayed to October 2021 to April 2022, helped spur the return of…

Variety stores registered single-digit growth in 2021 and is expected to return to the 2019 level of sales by 2022. This is greatly attributed to the price-consciousness of consumers, as well as expansion and growth of outlets. Moreover, the overall…

Casual, comfortable yet fashionable styles attracted consumers during the pandemic. Comfortable jeans with a style and fit that is more open and relaxed are therefore increasingly preferred. Sales of elasticated waist designs, stretchy materials and…

Hosiery witnessed growth in both retail volume and current value terms during 2021, due to stability in the number of COVID-19 cases, and as consumers therefore started to go out to work and socialise again, and children started back at schools and…

As physical events resume, the increasing presence of pet festivals such as the Yas Pet Festival and the Dubai Pet Festival continue to stimulate growth of pet products in the United Arab Emirates. The presence of these festivals exposes pet owners…

Free from gluten remained the strongest performer in terms of retail volume and current value growth within free from in 2021. Free from gluten is gaining huge popularity in the United Arab Emirates, especially among consumers who suffer from gluten…

Despite the fact that all retailers remained open in 2021 and consumers felt more confident returning to in-store shopping, sales growth of sun care via e-commerce was sustained. Many consumers remained hesitant to physically test products, and AI…

The pandemic has made consumers hypervigilant about hygiene, and oral care brands continue to tap into this anxiety by highlighting in their messaging the antibacterial positioning of their products. There is scope for premiumisation through this…

In 2020, demand for meat through foodservice and institutional channels dropped drastically as a result of the lockdown in the United Arab Emirates, as consumers turned to home seclusion to reduce their risk of exposure to the virus, thus leading to…

The emergence of the pandemic and the subsequent introduction of restrictions on movement to control the spread of the virus in the United Arab Emirates led to a notable shift in consumption patterns of fresh food in 2020, with foodservice recording…

COVID-19 had a drastic negative impact on all consumer foodservice channels in the United Arab Emirates in 2020, with double-digit declines in outlet numbers, transaction volumes and current value sales. This was primarily due to the impact of…

In late 2021, a study was released that concluded that two thirds of United Arab Emirates residents suffer from dry eyes, significantly above the global average. A dry, desert climate and prolonged exposure to air conditioning are two main factors…

After experiencing dramatic declines in all major metrics in 2020, travel in the United Arab Emirates rebounded in 2021. Domestic, inbound and outbound trips all grew at double-digit rates, as did the current value sales of airlines, lodging, car…

Convenience stores rebounded strongly in 2021, as many in the United Arab Emirates returned to corporate offices, where many convenience stores are located. That said, strong growth was fuelled in part by the significant double-digit decline of the…

Although air care is not hygiene-related, the category witnessed a positive performance in 2021. After a poor performance in 2020, consumers returned to physical stores this year, and the general dependency of the category on impulse purchases meant…

Dog food is set to maintain double-digit current value growth in 2022 in line with review period trends, as the number of households owning a dog in the United Arab Emirates continues to rise. Dog food growth rates peaked during the lockdowns of 2020…