Snacks and confectionery market in UAE- statistics & facts

Increasing urbanization, consumers’ increasingly hectic lifestyles, and a large expat population are driving the growth of the snacks and confectionery market in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). With a steady rise in per capita income, the demand for value-added snacks and confectionery items in the region has witnessed a spike over the years. The countries largely depend on imports due to a lack of local food resources and manufacturing, which creates opportunities for a local and international snack and confectionery players to enter the GCC market. The market value of the snack industry in the GCC Council reached almost four billion U.S. dollars in 2022, while the market value of the confectionery industry reached around 3.5 billion U.S. dollars. As a regional powerhouse, the United Arab Emirates follows the same trend as the GCC.

Snacks and confectionery

Due to the increased industrialization and busy lifestyles of the UAE population, there is a growing demand for snacks and ready-to-eat food. The expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the value of retail sales of snacks between 2020 and 2024 in the UAE was a bit less than the GCC average of 4.7 percent. Similarly, the CAGR of the value of retail sales of confectionery in the country fell behind the GCC average of 5.4 percent. The demand for snacks and confectionery is shaped by consumers’ need for premium and high-end products, with high living standards driving the sales of premium products, and pushing the high-quality, and natural ingredients segments. For instance, confectionery product manufacturers, including chocolate manufacturers, are focusing on product differentiation by producing products using sustainably sourced cocoa.

Healthy and free-from products

UAE consumers have increasingly adopted health and wellness lifestyles. This has led to increased demand for healthy food and organic products. Moreover, the increase in health awareness among consumers has made them selective when it comes to labels on the snacks they are purchasing and consuming. Around half of the consumers in a survey in the UAE reported that they are willing to pay extra for healthy products. The free-from products retail market size in the country was forecast to continue to grow, projected to reach approximately 52 million U.S. dollars by 2025.
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

Per capita consumer spending on food and non-alcoholic beverages in UAE by 2028
6827.91 USD
Total consumer spending on food and non-alcoholic beverages in UAE by 2028
67.4bn USD
Share of consumption of snacks and potato chips in UAE
43%
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Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Revenue of the snack food segment of the food market in the United Arab Emirates from 2018 to 2028 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Consumer Goods & FMCG

Revenue of snack food segment UAE 2018-2028

Market value of the snack industry in the Gulf Cooperation Council from 2017 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Snacks

Snack industry value GCC 2017-2022

Value of the confectionery market in the Gulf Cooperation Council from 2017 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Confectionery

Confectionery market value GCC 2017-2022

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Overview

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Overview

Regional overview

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Regional overview

UAE food market

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UAE food market

Snacks market

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Snacks market

Confectionery and baked goods market

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Confectionery and baked goods market

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