Online food and grocery shopping is becoming more and more popular in the UAE as people embrace the digital age, especially in vibrant cities like Dubai. This change brings with it savings and convenience, but it also raises issues with trust and logistics. As the market grows, supporting small businesses and communities is just as important as smart shopping.

Here are some UAE food and grocery statistics to consider and analyze.

Market Size and Growth of the UAE Food and Grocery Sector

  1. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) food products market size is estimated at $16.3 billion in 2026, growing from the 2025 value of $15.68 billion by 2031. mordorintelligence
  2. Abu Dhabi is expected to achieve the fastest growth, recording a 5.55% CAGR throughout the forecast period. mordorintelligence
  3. The plant-based alternatives segment is expected to grow at a 5.35% CAGR. mordorintelligence
  4. Food and beverages in the grocery eCommerce market are forecast to log the highest 13.16% CAGR through 2031. mordorintelligence
  5. Over the coming years, an increase is anticipated. With a predicted compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.4% over the next four years (2024–2028), the market is expected to reach US$2,822.1 million in volume by 2028. e-commerce
  6. The e-grocery industry in the United Arab Emirates was projected to have an annual gross merchandise value (GMV) of 1.12 billion dollars in 2020. Although the segment was expected to grow, the COVID-19 pandemic has fueled its expansion more than anticipated. Statista
  7. The industry experienced a double-digit growth of 31% between 2016 and 2019. Ken Research

UAE Grocery Delivery Sector

  1. By delivery time promise, delivery windows of 11-30 minutes held 54.83% of 2025 orders. Less-than-10-minute promises will post a 6.03% CAGR over the same horizon.  mordorintelligence
  2. Moreover, a 6.11% compound annual growth rate (CAGR 2024-2029) is predicted, bringing the projected market volume to US$48.22 million by 2029. Statista
  3. The UAE Online Grocery Delivery Market size was valued at around USD 3.3 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 6.73 billion by 2030. marknteladvisors
  4. Across the wider MENA region, food delivery is forecast to reach $35.6 billion by 2030. gulfnews
  5. During the pandemic, the average delivery time for omnichannel businesses increased to 8–10 days. Ken Research
  6. The top four mobile apps, Talabat, El Grocer, and Lulu Hypermarket, control a sizeable portion of the market for online grocery sales. Blueweave

Surge of Frozen Food Items in the UAE

  1. The UAE frozen food market is expected to grow from USD 0.86 billion in 2025 to USD 0.92 billion in 2026 and is forecast to reach USD 1.27 billion by 2031 at 6.73% CAGR over 2026-2031.  Mordor Intelligence
  2. To sell 15,000 products, including frozen food items, to customers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Waitrose & Partners established Waitrose.ae, a new online store in the United Arab Emirates, in October 2020. Mordor Intelligence
  3. The top 5 players in the frozen food market in the United Arab Emirates are Al Kabeer Group ME, Al Islami Foods, IFFCO Group, Mars, Incorporated, and Unilever PLC. Mordor Intelligence

Consumer Demographics and Behavior

  1. In the UAE, 75% of consumers bought items in-store during the pandemic, while nearly half opted for online purchases through delivery or click-and-collect services. YouGov
  2. There is a 27-percentage point gap between UAE consumers who have their shopping delivered to their doorsteps (38%) and those who pick it up (11%). YouGov
  3. Those in the 25–44 age range are thought to be a significant online grocery shopping customer base.  Ken Research
  4. In the UAE, 73% of consumers rank groceries as their top item when it comes to virtual shopping preferences. Furthermore, three out of five customers are using their downtime to improve their skills, and seventy percent of consumers use online banking. Master Card
  5. Social media is having a bigger impact on UAE consumers' purchasing decisions; 72% and 56% of respondents, respectively, said they found new sellers on Facebook and Instagram. Master Card

Traditional Retail vs. E-commerce Grocery Trends

  1. The UAE online food delivery market generated a revenue of USD 2,510.3 million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 3,961.4 million by 2030. grandviewresearch
  2. It is anticipated that the United Arab Emirates' express delivery market is expected to register a 7.90% CAGR during 2026-2034. thereportcubes
  3. The UAE's retail e-commerce value exceeded $5.6 billion in 2022, a 10.3% rise from 2021. USDA
  4. In 2022, food e-commerce accounted for nearly 17% of the UAE market, with a retail value of $940 million, making it the third-largest category. USDA
  5. High incomes, extensive internet and 5G access, sophisticated transport logistics, contemporary digital payments, and a younger demographic that is tech-savvy are the main drivers of this growth. USDA
  6. Measuring no more than 50 square meters, 81% of grocery retailers in the United Arab Emirates are small businesses called "baqalas." UAE Today Blog
  7. 60% of UAE citizens visit small grocery stores once a week, despite their small size. UAE Today Blog
  8. In the UAE, 70% of small grocery stores lack connected point-of-sale and checkout systems, making it harder for them to compete with larger retailers. Less than 1% of these stores use sophisticated financial technology. UAE Today Blog
  9. The convenience of location (59%), access to particular products (31%), extended opening hours (27%), friendly staff (20%), and a preference for local shopping (20%) are the main justifications for shopping at a baqala. UAE Today Blog
  10. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the average size of an online order basket has increased by 15–20 times. Ken Research
  11. The UAE's hundreds of dirhams spent on each online grocery purchase added up to a significant sum, propelling the e-shopping market as a whole. Gulf News
  12. The third quarter of 2020 saw nearly 70% of the peak e-grocery demand remaining, indicating that "stickiness" among e-grocery customers was higher than anticipated.  Gulf News

Online Grocery Insights and Consumer Preferences

  1. Compared to the same period in 2022, grocery expenditures among UAE consumers increased in Q3 of 2023. Kantar
  2. The UAE's FMCG inflation rate dropped from 1.9% growth in Q2 to -0.7% in Q3. Kantar
  3. Prices for beverages increased by 3.2%, but those for personal hygiene products decreased by -4.2%. Kantar
  4. The volume of the dairy category increased by 2.9% despite a notable -3.7% decline in overall volume and a 0.6% increase in price. Kantar
  5. In-store shopping has seen a decline of 28 per cent. khaleejtimes
  6. Almost two-thirds of survey respondents (64 per cent) agree that COVID-19 has made them more positive about online shopping. sc
  7. During the Middle East COVID-19 Pulse, it shows that around half (51%) of respondents were shopping for groceries online or by phone during the pandemic, up from about 27% before COVID-19. pwc
  8. While in-store grocery shopping is the main channel of choice, over a third of consumers (35%) are now buying food online, with 86% of those who shop online planning to continue after social distancing measures are removed. pwc

Major Players in the Market

  1. Dubai led with a 41.28% share of 2025 revenue. mordorintelligence
  2. In 2020, Carrefour held a 13.5% market share, dominating the industry. Global Data
  3. The top 10 leading companies in the UAE packaged food market are; Agthia Group PJSC, Almarai Company, Al Ghurair Group, National Food Products Company (NFPC), Nestlé Middle East FZE, Americana Group, Mondelez Middle East & Africa FZE, Mars GCC, Al Islami Foods, and Jaleel Holdings. Marketwideresearch
  4. Consumers have a strong desire for frozen food items with halal certification. To keep a large portion of the UAE market, major players like Ta'moosh are providing frozen gourmet ready-to-eat halal dishes. marketresearch
  5. The top 10 leading companies in the UAE fruits and vegetables market are Emirates Fruit Company, Fresh Express LLC, Al Jazeera Vegetables & Fruits Trading, Green Belt Group of Companies, Green Giant (B&G Foods), NRTC Group, Al Dahra BayWa LLC, Barakat Quality Plus, Arabian Farms Development Co., and Al Ain Farms For Livestock Production. Marketwideresearch
  6. The top three online retail categories include a significant amount of third-party platforms, such as Amazon, Noon, Instashop, and Talabat. USDA
  7. To increase competition and options in the market, Amazon and Lulu Group teamed up to open an online grocery store in the United Arab Emirates in November 2022. Blueweave
  8. The top 5 Online Grocery startups in the United Arab Emirates are Clipthedeal, InstaShop, YallaMart, EI Grocer, and Right Farm. Tracxn

Future Projections of the UAE Food and Grocery Segment

  1. By 2028, the food market is anticipated to reach a volume of 9,515.00 million kg. In 2026, the food market is projected to grow by 3.2% in volume. Statista
  2. In 2024, it is anticipated that the average volume per person in the food market will be 885.30 kg. Statista
  3. It is anticipated that by 2029, there will be 3.6 million users in the United Arab Emirates' grocery delive ry market. This shows that the nation's user base is expanding as a result of the effectiveness and convenience that grocery delivery services provide. Statista
  4. Between 2024 and 2028, the pre-delivery online payment segment is expected to hold a dominant market share. Techsciresearch
  5. From 2024 to 2030, the UAE Online Grocery Delivery Market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.38%, with a projected value of USD 7.22 billion. The convenience of online payment platforms and the growing number of grocery delivery apps available for download are important motivators. Blueweave
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