United Arab Emirates

A high degree of economic freedom and a favourable business environment characterise the UAE. Although relations with some regional peers have improved, tensions exist with others. Economic recovery is likely to be below that of peers, whilst ...

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 many local consumers to reduce their ...

Retail current value sales of homewares declined for the first time in more than a decade during 2020. Although consumers spent more time at home during the year due to COVID-19 restrictions, an accelerating decline in the number of expatriates ...

Despite the economic shock of the pandemic and an accelerating decline in the expatriate population, retail current value sales of gardening continued to expand during 2020 – albeit at their slowest rate in a decade. Demand for gardening products was...

Retail current value sales in home and garden 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 many local consumers to reduce their ...

Home improvement retail current value sales declined for the first time in more than a decade during 2020. The economic shock of the pandemic weighed on consumer confidence, leading some to postpone home improvement projects. The ongoing decline in ...

Retail current value sales of dog food will exhibit double-digit growth for the 12th consecutive year during 2021. Nonetheless, the rate of growth in retail current value sales of dog food will slow for the fourth consecutive year to reach its lowest...

The rate of growth in retail current value sales of cat food will be virtually unchanged between 2020 and 2021, remaining in double digits. Although the number of expatriates in the UAE will continue to decline, cat food will be less affected by this...

Having reached its highest level in a decade during 2020, the rate of growth in retail current value sales of pet products will decelerate moderately during 2021. Other pet products, such as pet toys, grooming products and accessories, dominate ...

Retail current value sales of both dog and cat food will continue to exhibit double-digit growth during 2021. Dry products dominate dog food and wet products cat food, with premium brands particularly popular. Dog and cat treats and mixers continue ...

The rate of growth in retail current value sales of other pet food will accelerate during 2021, with bird food and fish food continuing to outperform small mammal/reptile food. The other pet population will continue to expand during the year, albeit ...

Travel was the worst impacted sector in e-commerce, with a huge reduction in demand for transportation, lodging and ticketed attractions e-commerce during 2020, as most flights and accommodation are now booked online. The UAE is not only a popular ...

In late 2019, the Jumeirah Lakes Towers district of Dubai become the first part of the UAE to have a 5G network. The same year also saw the launch of the first 5G-enabled smartphones in the UAE. The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority is planning...

Even before the onset of COVID-19, the UAE was one of the most connected countries in the world, and the pandemic has accelerated the digitisation of everyday life, with strong growth in both remote digital purchases and proximate contactless digital...

Overall retail tissue experienced stable demand in 2020, supported by the home seclusion trend as a result of the pandemic-induced lockdown and movement restrictions. This meant that consumers were spending more time in their homes, rather than going...

The pandemic had a positive impact on demand for wipes with antibacterial properties in the United Arab Emirates in 2020, as consumers placed a greater focus on following strict hygiene and cleaning routines, not only whilst confined to their homes ...

Unlike most tissue and hygiene categories in 2020, sanitary protection was not particularly impacted by the emergence of COVID-19 and subsequent restrictions introduced in an attempt to control the spread of the virus but rather by the general ...

Demand for retail adult incontinence in 2020 improved in comparison to the previous year due to some initial stockpiling as a result of the pandemic-induced lockdown as vulnerable groups including the increasing elderly population, were encouraged to...

Nappies/diapers/pants was only marginally impacted by the pandemic in 2020, with some initial stockpiling noted during lockdown restrictions. Despite ongoing marginal declines in the average birth rate across the United Arab Emirates, resulting in a ...

In the midst of the pandemic, retail tissue and hygiene performed relatively well in 2020 in the United Arab Emirates due to increased consumer awareness of the need for stringent cleaning and hygiene in both their homes, and on a personal level. ...