Share of retail economy spending growth UAE 2021-2022, by sector

In 2022, the retail economy in the United Arab Emirates saw a growth in spending in various sectors. These included fashion, entertainment, and other general retail categories. Fashion and entertainment saw more than double the level of growth compared to supermarkets and general retail.

Fashion retail in the UAE

In 2022,the total fashion retail sector witnessed a growth of 25 percent, driven by fashion and accessories sales. Fashion and accessories have contributed to around two-thirds of the fashion retail sector. On weekends, the fashion sector saw a 26 percent increase in consumer spending in the retail economy during the weekend in the country in the same year.

Retail moving online

The UAE has a mature online retail market, offering both food and non-food products. In the coming years, online retail is expected to comprise a larger share of total retail sales in the country. The market share of major online retailers in the UAE  includes both local and international corporations. Souq.com was one of the biggest players in the country before it was acquired by Amazon in 2017 and subsequently rebranded. Traditional brick-and-mortar stores have all realized the importance of maintaining an online presence.