Growth in Ready-Made Meals Sales in UAE

Major retail outlets in the UAE are expanding their ready-made meals offerings, allowing shoppers to purchase diverse food options while shopping. Customers express satisfaction but call for more variety and lower prices. Retailers report over 50% growth in fresh food offerings, meeting consumer demand.


Growth in Ready-Made Meals Sales in UAE

Many consumers noted that large diverse networks, having branches in different emirates, recently expanded their assortment to include ready-made dishes and snacks, as well as designated areas for their acceptance, after their advertisements were exclusively focused on the sale of food products and consumer goods. They pointed out that such development is positive, as it allows them to purchase dishes at the time of purchase, as well as choose from various ready-made dishes. However, they call for a larger variety of dishes and a reduction in prices on certain items that seem overpriced, especially considering the lack of promotions on them.

At the same time, representatives of various sectors noted that the introduction of ready-made dishes in some retail points increased by more than 50% over the past year compared to 2023. They emphasized that prices for such dishes are adequate and cover costs with minimal markup for enhancing the success of this new experience.

One of the consumers, Ahmed Ayub, noted that large retail points in several emirates recently expanded the assortment of ready-made dishes and sweets, including a multitude of Arabic and Asian dishes, allowing customers to economize time when purchasing dishes directly at their places of acquisition.

Another consumer, Jad Safi, confirmed that large retail points indeed increased the offering of ready-made dishes, including vegetables, rice, pasta, meat, chicken, and shawarma, after they initially specialized only in the sale of food products and goods.

A representative of the supermarket, Idris Ibragim, noted a 50% increase in the offering of fresh products compared to 2023, to satisfy the diverse tastes and consumer needs in the light of different nationalities and culinary preferences of the country’s residents.

Thus, the introduction of ready-made dishes by large retail chains is considered an extension of their role in the diverse sector, increasing the overall sales volume and obligating consumers with diverse tastes and cultural preferences.