United Arab Emirates

In the United Arab Emirates, the category of menswear is notably larger in size than womenswear, both in terms of retail volume and value sales: this is contrary to the global trend where sales of womenswear tend to be much greater. This is due to…

The population of the United Arab Emirates is extremely young, with the majority comprising millennials or young professionals in this expat-driven market. As a consequence, jeans remain a popular fashion choice, and are often worn casually or for…

Non-sheer options dominate demand for hosiery in the United Arab Emirates, and continues to record stable growth rates. Demand is being driven by changing fashion preferences, especially among younger consumers, who increasingly choose bare legs or…

In terms of retail volume sales in the United Arab Emirates, men's footwear traditionally holds larger share compared to the women's segment, primarily due to demographics. However, women's footwear is experiencing faster growth in both retail volume…

In the past, luxury brands often imported their marketing strategies directly from their European headquarters to the United Arab Emirates. However, the pandemic underscored the significance of localising marketing efforts, as the consumer base…

Apparel and footwear in the United Arab Emirates continues to record a strong performance in current value growth terms, building on the strong momentum it gained in 2022 when sales surged due to pent-up demand resulting from the pandemic. Amid…

In the United Arab Emirates, items such as gloves, belts, scarves, hats/caps are widely popular because local consumers have a strong penchant for accessorising their outfits. Being a fashion-forward market, there is an abundance of choices for…

Awareness of healthy eating is rising in the country, especially the need to reduce sugar intake. For instance, in December 2019, the United Arab Emirates adopted an excise tax of 50% on beverages with high sugar or sweetener content to improve the…

The United Arab Emirates has been following a policy of economic diversification, and has continued to build the country as a tourism, retail, and lifestyle destination, which has contributed to the growth of health and wellness soft drinks. The…

Due to a combination of long working hours, sedentary lifestyles, and poor eating habits, overweight and obesity are major problems in the United Arab Emirates. Indeed, Euromonitor International data show that 39.7% of the population was classified…

After the COVID-19 pandemic, not only did consumers in the United Arab Emirates increase their interest in organic tea and coffee, but they were also willing to pay more for such products. Consumers have become more educated, and they know that the…

Post-pandemic, discriminating consumers have developed a keen interest in their health, and are intent on adopting healthy eating to enhance their physical and mental wellbeing within the constraints of their family budget. Importantly, the messaging…

Since the pandemic, a rise has been seen in the number of consumers seeking active and healthy lifestyles, amidst the hybrid work model. Consumers have become more aware of and conscious of their food intake, and many are willing to spend on organic…

The health and wellness industry continues to grow in importance post-pandemic as consumers become more aware of the negative health impact of processed foods, seeking healthier foods and beverages from a range of claims such as natural, organic,…

Insights and data on the traditional automotive sector and the mobility industry can help businesses examine how changing travel patterns will impact future consumer behaviour. Growing climate pressures and rising urbanisation rates are pushing…

Thin wall plastic containers are the main pack type used in sweet spreads packaging and were also continuing to gain share in the overall category in 2022. This is because these containers are cost-effective to manufacture, making them an attractive…

Glass jars remained a major pack type in sauces, dips and condiments in 2022 for a number of reasons. Glass is an inert material that does not interact chemically with the product content, ensuring that the flavour and quality of the sauces, dips or…

Metal food cans continue to be the leading pack type in shelf stable meat and seafood packaging. Metal food cans are excellent at preserving the freshness and quality of processed meat and seafood. They provide an effective barrier against light,…

Processed fruit and vegetables packaging was back recording positive growth in its unit volumes in 2022. This followed a year in which demand had slipped into decline in 2021, perhaps due to the spike in the growth rate seen in 2020 due to the…

The vast majority of consumers typically consume dairy products, but as the health and wellness trend spreads across the country, a niche segment of the population has shown an increasing preference for plant-based foods. Hence, plant-based dairy has…

Flexible aluminium/plastic was the dominant pack type in dry soup, which, given it is the biggest category in overall meals and soups, was therefore the dominant meals and soups packaging format. Flexible aluminium/plastic was also growing in 2022,…

In 2022, PET bottles were gaining share in dairy products in the United Arab Emirates for a number of reasons. PET bottles are lightweight, which makes them cost-effective to transport. In the United Arab Emirates, where dairy products might need to…

After two years of declining sales, confectionery packaging recorded positive growth in its packaging unit volumes again in 2022. However, the growth was modest as rising awareness of the potential negative effects of consuming confectionery, such as…

With milk formula accounting for almost half of baby food packaging unit volumes, and metal tins the dominant pack type in milk formula, this packaging format therefore remains the leading one in overall baby food, given metal tins also has a…

Retail current value sales of premium and luxury cars increased by 8% to AED15.5 billion in 2023, due to demand from higher-income consumers, whose expenditure proved resilient in the face of macroeconomic headwinds. Demand for premium and luxury…

Personal luxury retail value sales rose by 7% in 2023 to total AED23.3 billion, with growth supported by leading brand owners, such as Richemont (Dubai) FZE. In 2023, retail value sales growth was boosted by consumers investing in luxury goods, such…

Retail value sales of luxury goods in the United Arab Emirates rose by 9% in 2023 in current terms to reach AED47.1 billion. Growth in sales was fuelled by several factors during the post-Coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown period. One significant driver…

Retail current value sales of fine wines/champagne and spirits grew by 2% in 2023 to AED807 million, as a result of a consumer desire for indulgence after the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Socialising at home and in the on-trade channel remains a…

Retail current value sales of experiential luxury grew in 2021 and 2022, when restrictions related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic were still impacting travel. There is also a desire amongst consumers to spend on experiences rather than…

Although the pandemic is now a distant memory, consumers are still motivated to focus on their health and wellness. The demand for drinking yoghurt products that include a “protein” claim, in addition to advantages such as “probiotics”, and “gut…

The vast majority of consumers typically consume dairy products, but as the health and wellness trend spreads throughout the country, a niche segment of the population has shown an increasing preference for plant-based foods. Hence, plant-based…

Retail volume and current value growth of condensed and evaporated milk were positive in 2022, and this is set to continue in 2023, although volume growth has been moderate, and value growth has been higher due to rising inflation. Due to the full…

In 2022, the price of fresh milk increased significantly, and this has continued into 2023. This growth is primarily being driven by pressures of inflation at various levels, which is being seen globally as an impact of the pandemic and other…

In 2022, supply chain problems were seen, as global disruptions drove up the costs of raw materials, logistics and fuel. Overall, the United Arab Emirates and the region overall were affected in terms of rising costs and inflation. Cost-push…

The changes in consumer behaviour brought about by the inflationary pressures that started in early 2022 resulted in a decline in retail volume sales of cheese in 2022, while current value sales remained positive. In 2023, although a return to retail…

Due to inflationary pressures arising from global supply chain issues, recent price increases in retail have impacted dairy categories, and butter and spreads is no exception. Moreover, due to rising health awareness, some consumers are also veering…

Inflationary pressures have been impacting baby food, a category that was already suffering from limited growth even prior to the pandemic. Although most families have now returned to the country, the socioeconomic revival in 2022 was met with rising…

In 2023, wound care is expected to see its strongest current value growth rate for many years, with product innovation being the strongest driver of growth. Innovations in wound closure techniques, such as adhesive tapes, sutures, or surgical…

Many residents in the United Arab Emirates lead fast-paced lives, in which ready-to-drink shakes and meal replacement bars provide a quick and convenient way for people to manage their weight due to their pre-packaged format; this is set to drive…

Although multivitamins is set to maintain growth and remain the largest category within vitamins in current value terms in 2023, the trend towards personalisation in healthcare is also leading to an increase in sales of single vitamins. As…

The rise of new players in sports protein powder in the United Arab Emirates indicates a growing fitness and health culture, and provides consumers with a wider range of products from which to choose to align with their preferences. The explosion in…

Increasing awareness of sleep health is a significant trend set to drive the solid current value growth of sleep aids in the United Arab Emirates in 2023. As people are becoming more conscious of the vital role sleep plays in maintaining physical and…

In the United Arab Emirates, there is wide knowledge of consumer health, due to the diverse make-up of the population. However, there are a significant number of parents who continue to be hesitant to give children over-the-counter medications due to…

In an effort to promote a healthier population and support the wellbeing of the local community, the government of the United Arab Emirates is actively encouraging smokers to quit. This includes the establishment of smoking cessation clinics at…

Especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a strong emphasis on preventive health in the United Arab Emirates. This has been fuelling a surge in demand for herbal/traditional dietary supplements, including ginseng, garlic, echinacea, and…

Eye drops is the leading format for eye-related treatments in the United Arab Emirates, for several reasons. First, eye drops offer ease of application, allowing individuals to self-administer the treatment directly to the affected area. Second, they…

Gastrointestinal disorders such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcers, and gastritis are relatively common in the United Arab Emirates. Digestive remedies such as proton pump inhibitors are effective in treating these conditions by…

Dietary supplements has witnessed a surge in products targeting beauty and anti-ageing, which reflects consumers’ growing desire for holistic wellness solutions and the “beauty from within” trend. Supplements such as co-enzyme Q10, which is known for…

Hair loss treatments in the United Arab Emirates has been experiencing increased fragmentation, due to the emergence of numerous new entrants, with the value share of the smallest players, included under “others” set to rise above 50% for the first…

The increasingly dusty weather in the United Arab Emirates is causing a rise in allergies and respiratory illnesses amongst consumers. In particular, in August 2022 there were so many dust storms that doctors in Abu Dhabi and Dubai issued a warning…