Fifty-eight per cent of consumers in the Middle East and North Africa expect the way they shop will change over the next one to two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new survey.
More than half of respondents said they will value “quality” of products most in the post-coronavirus period, EY said in its Future Consumer Index survey, which analysed the impact of the outbreak on consumers’ shopping habits. About 44 per cent and 39 per cent of those polled said they will value health and affordability, respectively, while shopping.
“Changes that were expected to come upon us gradually over the next half decade or so will now be forced on both consumers and companies in the immediate future,” the report released on Sunday said.
“Covid-19 has done something that no amount of advertising by brands could do - it has made consumers change their preferences. This will continue to influence beyond [the post-coronavirus] phase and future consumer consumption patterns.”
The EY report, which surveyed 2,263 consumers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the Arab world’s largest economies, said that Covid-19 has accelerated changes within the retail sector's operating models.
Retailers are now increasingly focusing on e-commerce, supply chain, consumer engagement, risk assessment and employee management practices to snag a higher market share.
“As the pandemic has influenced changes in behaviour and consumption, consumers have started rethinking,” said Ravi Kapoor, Mena consumer advisory leader at EY.
“The focus for the retail sector now should be on transforming to succeed in a new business landscape. Companies can take certain steps to anticipate the future, understand the changes, explore the market and respond to the opportunities effectively.”
Nearly one-third of the individuals surveyed plan to reassess their living costs, minimise spending and change the way they shop due to Covid-19.
However, about 23 per cent - a segment that consists of young working population - expect to be better off financially over the next year and are optimistic about shopping more online in the next one to two years.
“Changes in consumer behaviour that were expected to happen gradually, such as the shift from brick-and-mortar to online shopping, have been accelerated,” Ahmed Reda, EY’s Mena consumer leader, said.
“The pandemic and its retail implications will continue to influence future consumer consumption patterns.”
Mena consumers expect to spend more on specific categories once the pandemic is over, with 43 per cent predicting they will spend more on fresh food, 34 per cent looking to spend more on household items and 32 per cent spending more on personal care.
When asked about how quickly they believe normality will return once the pandemic is over, 55 per cent of individuals said it will be a matter of days or weeks, while 37 per cent expect it to be a matter of months.
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How to register as a donor
1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention
2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants
3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register.
4) The campaign uses the hashtag #donate_hope
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
England v South Africa schedule:
- First Test: At Lord's, England won by 219 runs
- Second Test: July 14-18, Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 2pm
- Third Test: The Oval, London, July 27-31, 2pm
- Fourth Test: Old Trafford, Manchester, August 4-8
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
360Vuz PROFILE
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Founder: Khaled Zaatarah
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Sector: Technology
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Funding: $7 million
Investors: Shorooq Partners, KBW Ventures, Vision Ventures, Hala Ventures, 500Startups, Plug and Play, Magnus Olsson, Samih Toukan, Jonathan Labin
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
If you go:
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Flying to Guyana requires first reaching New York with either Emirates or Etihad, then connecting with JetBlue or Caribbean Air at JFK airport. Prices start from around Dh7,000.
Getting around:
Wildlife Worldwide offers a range of Guyana itineraries, such as its small group tour, the 15-day ‘Ultimate Guyana Nature Experience’ which features Georgetown, the Iwokrama Rainforest (one of the world’s four remaining pristine tropical rainforests left in the world), the Amerindian village of Surama and the Rupununi Savannah, known for its giant anteaters and river otters; wildlifeworldwide.com
The biog
Age: 46
Number of Children: Four
Hobby: Reading history books
Loves: Sports
The biog
Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology
Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels
Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs
Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends
