Online shopping behavior in UAE - statistics & facts

With the pandemic-driven shift to online shopping channels in many countries across the globe, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is no exception. The industry is expected to continue growing over the next years. This growth is supported by high internet and mobile internet penetration rates and a strong infrastructure and logistics network. Dubai is home to one of the largest logistics hubs, Dubai Logistics City, which provides logistics services and facilitates the delivery of goods across the region. Moreover, government initiatives such as Dubai CommerCity - which provides free trade zone for e-commerce projects - are expected to push the e-commerce market growth.

Consumer preferences trends

Consumers in the UAE choose online shopping – whether for food and groceries or fashion – due to its convenience. E-commerce categories' growth varies according to the current climate. Interestingly, categories such as pet food and accessories, which gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, continue to grow, unlike fitness equipment or puzzles, which decreased back to their pre-pandemic figures. When it comes to online shopping, the UAE consumer has high expectations. Around half of online shoppers expected online orders to arrive in less than two hours.

Online food shopping

Like many countries worldwide, the UAE witnessed a behavioral shift among consumers, who now opt for online shopping for food. Particularly during Ramadan, when many consumers are fasting, most respondents in the region reported that they adopted shopping for groceries online. The fastest-growing e-commerce category was snack foods. This could potentially be due to the fact that with a young population, consumers are more likely to opt for convenience when it comes to their food shopping. As the demand rises for various snacks that cater to healthy, vegan, and vegetarian diets, so does the market for online snack shopping.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Jan 10, 2024

Key insights

Real per capita consumer spending in 2023
627.76 USD
Real per capita consumer spending on food and non-alcoholic beverages
5,563 USD
Real per capita consumer spending on clothing and footwear in 2023
707.87 USD
Get more insights

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