Consumer Lifestyles in the United Arab Emirates

Consumer Lifestyles | 25 Feb 2014

TOP FIVE CONSUMER TRENDS

Consumer expectations grow for luxury products and services
The UAE is a rich melting pot of nationalities living in 7 Emirates, with Abu Dhabi, Dubai and
Sharjah the home to the lions share of the population. Well-heeled tourists rub shoulders with
investors, Emiratis and migrant workers. Many people in the UAE like to spend on luxury whether it
is a VIP ticket to an event, a limousine instead of a taxi, a gold class seat on the metro or a spa
visit. Babies and children and pets are next in line to receive the same levels of luxury expected by
the adults who have previously spent on themselves. Buying diamant adorned bridles for horses
and collars for cats, and taking toddlers for spa days is catching on and proves that consumers that
appreciate the finer things in life also want to provide it for their families and pets. A report
in Emirates 24/7 highlights how pets are enjoying their turn at the luxury UAE lifestyle: The getaway-weekend for the pet may not have been part of the usual tourism industry in the UAE so far,
but judging by its success there was quite a demand for the facility.
The caveat for this provision of luxury in all areas of life in the UAE, is that although consumers are
willing to pay the price for something special, they expect quality in terms of products and
services, and this can be a problem in the UAE, where customer service, brand knowledge and
efficiency do not always match the expectations of discerning consumers. Those who can afford to
spend more will only continue to do so if they feel they are receiving something extra. An article in
The National in 2013 referred to problems with poor customer services in the UAE, highlighted as
part of a conference in the UAE. The Chief Executive of a company that aims to improve the quality
of customer care in the country commented: Customers expect better and better service every
year and as a business you don't have a choice if you want to be successful, you have to be
flexible and put the customer first. One expert commenting in Gulf News in 2013 about poor
service, said: The problem is that on many occasions, the service staff dont really care. UAE
residents complain on expat forums and via letter pages in the local press about their experience
of poor service in the UAE, which extends to all areas of service and retail. Banks in particular are
criticised, with Zawya reporting in 2013 that poor customer service was causing consumers to
switch banks. There is an expectation that when they pay more, they expect more, and this is
where they feel let down. Delivering a service and experience to match the high price tag is what
consumers are looking for.
Expats want a locally made taste of home
The Telegraph quoted an expat in 2014 Why do the UAEs expats stay longer than they planned?
The Global Professionals on the Move 2013 survey, points out that most people have an initial plan
to stay abroad for three years, but that 65% stay abroad for six years, and the article attributes
this to climate, tax free living and most importantly to the normal life that expats find when they
arrive. People have preconceived ideas about what life in the UAE is like, but the reality for many
expats, who choose to make the country their home, is that aside from the cost of living and the
very hot summer temperatures, people can actually live a very comfortable normal life in the
UAE. This is especially true of Dubai and Abu Dhabi and this means that people end up staying
longer than expected. They make comparisons with their home country, and for many people the
UAE comes out on top, and until that changes they will choose to stay on.
For those expats that stay for many years, as opposed to a few, there are some home comforts
that are craved. An article in Gulf News in 2013 highlights how expat expectations are high and
Christmas time is no exception: The incongruity of converting an arid land into a favourable place
for international-in-origin food manufacturers is the kind of business miracle that comes easy to
the UAE. It takes a pinch of salt though, to wake up to the fact that expatriates now expect some of
their favourite foods to be delivered to their doorsteps within minutes of being made a few miles
away. With a variety of truly international foods artisanal and organic, ranging from cheese and

cookies to chocolates being created across the country, it seems like Christmas before its time.
Bringing a taste of home to expats is one way of smoothing out the transition from short term
expat to long lifer and there appear to be no end to the possibilities offered and wished for. A
Telegraph Expat blogger (2013) talks of ...a little slice of home, and that is an important point, as
it highlights the fact that despite the length of time that expats may stay on, for most, they will
eventually leave and in the meantime they still hanker after the reminders from home. That little
slice of home is a sought after commodity, and due to the multicultural and multinational
residents, the slice can come in a variety of forms.
Affordable health care for all
There are a wide variety of health care options in the UAE, especially given the fact that the UAE
has become popular with medical tourists in recent years, due to the ease with which the country
can be accessed and its popularity as a tourist destination. A report in Gulf News in 2013 highlights
how the Dubai Health Strategy 2013 25 incorporates a master plan aligned with the Dubai
Strategic Plan 2015 to provide residents as well as visitors access to internationally recognised
levels of healthcare and transform the emirate into a medical tourism hub. The article goes on to
point out how these plans for medical tourism are now expected to be calibrated with the Dubai
Expo 2020 infrastructure development, which will further help position it as a medical tourism
destination of some standing. Thus, the country is making it clear that it intends to be a major
player in the medical tourism arena.
Whilst it is clear that targeting medical tourism will benefit residents too, some feel that there are
identifiable holes in healthcare provision that need to be plugged to ensure that appropriate and
focussed care is available for all members of the community. For example: there currently exists a
dearth of specialist services for the elderly, and these are needed to address the growing elderly
population and their associated specialist needs. Gulf News reported in 2013 how mobile geriatric
clinics to provide services such as medical, physiotherapy and rehabilitation services, and that the
number of elderly care centres were set to expand in Dubai. With a report in the Khaleej Times in
2012 stating that the number of elderly in the UAE was set to increase to 20% of the population by
2020, it is clear that specialist provision for this group will be more in demand. In terms of general
health care in the UAE, The National reported in 2014 how the Dubai Health Authority were
implementing various initiatives to better serve the health needs of the local population: The
continuing expansion of Rashid Hospitals trauma unit, more primary care centres and the
implementation of electronic medical records are all part of Dubai Health Authoritys ambitious
plans for this year. The Authoritys Director General notes that prevention and health is much
better than correction you prevent sickness, you save on money and time.
Given the reported health problems such as obesity and diabetes, the time is right to focus on
targeted health provision in the UAE, and whilst there is no denying that there are plenty of options
for the discerning cosmetic surgery consumers, and that increasing the number of options for
medical tourists also benefits the residents, more options are needed to address general health
issues and provide the type of high quality care and assessment expected for the diverse mix of
residents and their wildly varied pockets. Healthcare options that meet the needs of all consumers,
not just those who can afford to pay for the best are needed. For example: an article in Gulf News
in 2013 discussed the new low-cost health care centre planned at the site of the Pakistan
Association in Dubai: The centre will provide low-cost medical care to patients who do not have
medical insurance and who cannot afford medical treatment. The centre will also have provisions
to provide free treatment for deserving cases. The consultation fees for patients who can afford to
pay will be as low as Dh50. The latest initiative will require funding and sponsorship, and is
expected to be operational in the second half of 2014. In addition to low-cost options, there is also
a requirement for specific treatment and assessment options for health issues currently under
represented, such as rehabilitation services. A report in The National in 2013 highlighted the
shortage of rehabilitation services in the UAE, due to a lack of trained medical professionals and
staff within field, and with a lack of home-grown talent being reported as a contributing factor to
the problem.

Spend or save?
For many expats, a selling point of working in the UAE is the opportunity to live and work in a safe
country that offers good facilities, and a fairly pleasant climate. The tax free salary allows for
increased disposable income for many, and this means that saving is possible and in turn the
possibility to enhance future financial stability. For many though, the reality is rather different and
the fact of living in the UAE, and particularly Dubai and Abu Dhabi, means splashing out on a
luxurious lifestyle and the short term gain it offers, rather than the long term laborious task of
saving. Furthermore, there is an apparent need to keep up with the wealthy and the potentially
crippling cost of accommodation, school fees and bills, all of which chip away at the disposable
income that could be saved and invested for the future. One Dubai expat commented in an article
in The National in 2013: The school fees are astronomical and the international package my
husband receives now barely covers basic necessities. It seems we spend a lot more here on rent,
schooling, food and utilities than we would at home. The UAE offers a fantastic lifestyle and a
wonderfully safe environment for the children, but when it comes to saving as well, that is nigh on
impossible. The article points out that for many people, having disposable income is a novelty,
and the urge to spend it rather than save it is too strong. A Senior Associate at one Dubai financial
company sums it up well: Few people disembark a plane at DXB and will walk straight into a
financial advisers office and ask for help in saving for their future. Theres often a big temptation
to spend in the first instance. It is our experience that people are sucked into this lifestyle and then
they become savings averse. Many arrive in the UAE with good intentions of earning more and
saving more, but the reality for many is different and with some scepticism of the relatively
lightly regulated financial services industry that, in theory, allows anyone to set up as a financial
advisor, there can be sharks circling those looking for advice. In 2011 Arabian Business reported
that there was a ...backdrop of distrust on the part of local expats against the financial advisor
industry and it is hard to see that much has changed in the meantime.
The Wall Street Journal highlighted the problem of the need of expats to spend on luxurious
lifestyle choices in 2013, quoting a study by YouGov the article pointed out that financial concerns
and debt cause stress for UAE residents, and with the study by Standard Life suggesting that UAE
expats have a less prudent approach to retirement planning, it is clear that something is not
quite right. An advice article for the Expatwoman website by Zurich Insurance quoted research by
HSBC: ...over half of the people in the UAE (53%) feel that they are either not prepared
adequately or not prepared at all for retirement. The research also found that in the UAE, people
have acknowledged the need to save for retirement, although (as with many other emerging
markets with young age profiles), they are being held back from doing so due to the costs of dayto-day spending (46%).
The National reported in 2013 on UAE banks lending at their fastest rate in two years and a
similar article by The National in 2013 pointed out that: Personal loans to residents increased by
Dh3.8 billion in June. Consider this alongside a survey by a price comparison website that
reported that: hundreds of UAE residents saying they are having so much trouble making personal
loan or mortgage payments that they are using credit card debt to do so and the fact that Gulf
News reported in 2014 how loan growth had improved, it is apparent that consumers are spending,
but whether they can afford to, is another matter. Al Bawaba reported in 2013 how UAE school fees
put parents under so much pressure that some have to take out loans to pay or cause parents to
pay late, the cost of living is, for some, the reason they need to take out a loan.
Cash no longer king
The UAE has traditionally been a country where cash is king, with many shoppers carrying cash to
pay for groceries and shopping. A report in Gulf News in 2013 (quoting Value Partners) noted how
cash accounted for around 85 per cent of consumer and retail payments globally. Although Gulf
News reported in 2013 that the UAE is catching up with other countries in terms of heading
towards digital payments, it reported that less than one third of payments were electronic. The
shift away from cash has been slow in the UAE and in line with this; there is still a certain amount
of mistrust of online shopping, which must be slowly eradicated. Consumers that are used to

carrying cash and visiting shops regularly, and have previously had no other options, will need to
be encouraged to turn to online shopping options. The report quotes a study undertaken by
Mastercard that looked at cash payments as a proportion of transactions and found that the UAEs
dependence on cash is shrinking faster in the UAE than in many markets around the world. This
certainly suggests that as the dependence on cash reduces, so electronic payment methods will
become the norm and as a result, confidence in online shopping could improve.
Residents and tourists alike are familiar with the UAE as a shopping mecca, due to the proliferation
of malls offering a vast array of international brands, but until recently there have been few
options available for online shopping. The UAEs first online shopping mall (Tejuri.com) launched in
early 2013, with ITP saying: The website, created following extensive research into the current
purchasing behavior of the regional market and its growth potential, aligns retailer sales targets
with consumer needs, according to Tejuri. Brands that register on the site are provided with a Web
store in an online mall environment with operations, customer service and delivery supported by
Tejuri. "The online shopping mall also uses a safe and trusted eCommerce platform and provides
brands the opportunity to showcase their entire inventory, enabling smarter shopping
opportunities for the consumer," said Tejuri. This is important, not least because it is reported to
be the first e-shopping mall in the region, but because it is endorsed by the Department of
Economic Development and this clear governmental backing demonstrates the importance being
placed on this type of venture by the UAE. Retail has, for many years, played an important role in
the success of the UAE, and online shopping is certainly the next step in offering consumers
greater choice and convenience. The National reported in November 2013 how 1 million customers
had visited the online mall since its launch in March of that year, indicating the potential for this
mode of selling.
The fact that tourists and residents alike consider mall shopping to be a leisure activity, especially
during the summer months when air conditioned malls provide an opportunity to get out and about
in the cool, it means that online shopping must offer convenience and appeal in other ways. For
example, in other countries grocery shopping undertaken online is useful for those consumers who
are short of time, but in the UAE, where many people have maids to help with the shopping, and
where groceries are often bought regularly rather than with one large weekly shop, it requires
thought on how to change the shopping habits of consumers and build trust in both the electronic
payment system and the delivery systems required to support it. One Dubai resident commented
on an article on online grocery shopping in the UAE in Gulf News in 2014: If we do shopping
online, then what would these large supermarkets do? Would they be for visitors only?
Generally, online shopping in other countries is perceived to be cheaper but this is not the case in
the UAE and therefore consumers dont see much inducement to shop online. Until such time
retailers start to compete for online customers, many will continue to shop the old fashioned way
and continue to visit malls. Currently, many residents are not even aware that they have an option
to buy what they want online, and many others are sceptical due to the common perception that
customer service is poor and there is too much potential for fraud.

CONSUMER SEGMENTATION
Babies and Infants
The number of Babies and Infants (aged 0-2) reached 184,000 in 2012. This number was around
1.25 times the figure from 2000, with a small rise between 2005 to 2010 that reflects the boom
time (154,000 rising to 177,000) and then a small reduction to 176,000 in 2011 due to the crash of
2008 which meant fewer people chose to start a family during this uncertain economic period and
a number of expats also left the country. The number of Babies and Infants is expected to grow
slightly to reach 189,000 by 2015.
Many residents that choose to start a family, take advantage of the low cost of employing
housemaids and other domestic services personnel, which for many is an affordable luxury that
they would not be attainable in their home country. Many expats, for example, opt for living in
accommodation that comes with built in maids quarters and then employ a maid or nanny from

places like the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Although the facilities to support families in the
UAE are numerous, there are considerations for residents to remain mindful of prior to giving birth
in the UAE. For example a story in Gulf News in 2013 highlights the problems caused by lack of
awareness of marriage laws and the ramifications: according to UAE law, if a child is delivered less
than 180 days from the date of the marriage certificate, the child will not be given a birth
certificate, and the matter is referred to court. Many countries and cultures from where these
expatriates relocate to the UAE do not require them to be married to have babies. But the UAE
needs a valid marriage certificate to issue a birth certificate for a child being born in this
jurisdiction.
One Dubai resident comments on her counselling website, about the surprising dearth of parenting
education programmes, despite the number of parents, but aside from this criticism, there are
plenty of services directed towards young families, ranging from maternity services to nurseries
and schools of all shapes and sizes.
The internet is awash with questions and recommendations of nurseries in the UAE. Part of the
problem is the variety, and the associated costs and the cultural differences. The Expatwoman
website notes that choosing a nursery can be hard, and especially in Dubai, whereas The National
pointed out in 2011 that based on the findings of the National Early Childhood Development
Childcare Study: A shortage of government and workplace-sponsored nurseries leaves many
working mothers struggling to balance the demands of home and career. A key problem is the
lack of sponsored options, as opposed to private, and the fact that many people rely on unqualified
childcare from their maids. One Emirati commented: more companies should have in-house
childcare centres. If workplaces offered crches, and they were certified and regulated, I think
mothers would be more inclined and more supported to work more.
Emirates 24/7 ran a story in 2012 looking at whether expensive nurseries were crucial: Nursery
fees are calculated based on the number of days a child attends class. Our fees are calculated
depending on how often they attend the nursery. It could be anywhere between three times a week
to five, informed an attendant at a popular British nursery. The nurseries that are located towards
Jumeriah are more popular and hence pinch the pocket more. A top British nursery in Al Safa
charges AED10,000 for five days (per term), with their classes clocked between 7.30am to
12.30pm. And, if you want to keep them till 3pm, they charge AED12,250, reported a parent. With
each term consisting of three months, the basic fee can be easily broken down to 3,333AED per
month. This means that even a nanny would come cheaper, with the minimum spending at
Dh1,500 for a well-trained one. Its this huge division in numbers thats encouraging many parents
to keep their kids at home.
The Explorer website discussed the pros and cons of homecare versus nurseries, with one working
expat mum making the point that the nursery is a better option than the nanny that she initially
opted for: The last thing you want is to feel that your child is bored or just being plonked in front
of the TV while the person meant to be looking after them finishes the ironing. Placing Maggie in
nursery meant that I was handing childcare over to a team of professionals, rather than a 'mummy
substitute'. She got to mingle with other children, experience life outside the home environment,
became comfortable with other adults, and grew more independent over time.' With some
nurseries costing more than school fees for older children, the luxury comes at a price. The price is
in part, due to the number of people wanting good quality childcare options, and the fact that this
has enable a whole industry to be built up to support the need, particularly in Dubai and Abu
Dhabi. A number of organisations such as EdArabi, Which? and Souqalmal provide reviews and
guides. The National reported in 2013 how there were more than 300 nurseries and that improved
regulations were needed. Nurseries will be urged to focus on early childhood education rather
than just day care under an updated draft law approved by the federal Cabinet
Baby showers are very popular in the UAE, perhaps due to the number of expats who come from
countries where these celebrations are the norm, such as the USA. Forums are full of suggestions
for planning events, gift ideas and accessories/decorations. Time out Abu Dhabi and Dubai (2012)
gave some ideas for professional parties, and Abu Dhabi Woman website (2012) offered ideas for
baby showers on their forum page. As always in the UAE, many people spend a lot of money

making these types of celebrations special. The founder of a company called Baby Bling
commented in the 7-Days news (2012) : ...believes the UAE can rival kiddy chic hubs such as Los
Angeles and New York. She goes on to say: Dubai definitely has more bling factor than LA - I go
to the States and we are on another level," says Mohebi. The most extravagant item her Dubai
store carries - a gold or platinum baby pacifier - has been snapped up by wealthy families looking
to lavish love and luxury on new arrivals.
High cost of giving birth in the UAE
With many insurance companies used by expats in the UAE not covering maternity costs, or
placing severe restrictions on the cover, it means that many women opt to give birth in their home
country where the provision is cheaper or free. Home birthing is not allowed, and so the cost of
giving birth in one of the hospitals is an important consideration for those who come from other
countries that provide free options. The National reported in 2013 on the costs of birth in the UAE:
A normal delivery at Dubai's City Hospital or Welcare Hospital with a two-day stay in a private
room costs Dh11,000. But if your birth is an instrumental delivery (with forceps or vacuum), this
can bump up your outlay to Dh13,400, while a Caesarean costs Dh22,500. Abu Dhabi's Corniche
Hospital charges Dh10,000 for a normal delivery and from Dh10,000 to Dh14,000 for a Caesarean.
At Sharjah's Al Zahra Hospital, prices start at Dh6,900 for a basic normal delivery package with a
one-night stay. A three-night stay will set you back Dh10,350.
For some, it's not just the hospital that's important, but also the exclusivity of the room. At Dubai's
City Hospital, for instance, a four-day stay in the Royal Suite following a Caesarean can set you
back Dh95,000 compared with Dh22,500 for a standard private room. Aside from the cost, there
are also some cultural challenges associated with giving birth in a different country, with issues
such as the husband not being allowed to be present in some hospitals. One director of a hospital
in Ajman noted inEmirates 24/7 in 2010 how pregnant women were choosing to come there from
other emirates due to the affordable maternity packages being offered. In 2011 Emirates 24/7
reported that Fujairah was the cheapest UAE emirate to have a baby delivered. Just days after the
UAE's Ministry of Healths (MOH) formalised its decision to increase the fees for deliveries in
government and MOH-affiliated hospitals by 100 per cent, toDh5500, the GMC Hospital in Fujairah
is offering a maternity package for less than one fifth of the price. At GMC in Fujairah, it now costs
Dh1,000 for a normal delivery and Dh3,000 for a C-Section, and the package is inclusive of a threeday stay in a private room. There are many blogs and postings on forums discussing the pros and
cons of giving birth in the UAE, and many of the discussions come down to cost.
Greater support for female workers
The National in 2013 identified the problem of a lack of support for working mothers: Parents who
spend little time with their children because of long working hours may soon be able to get help
from a new law likely to be recommended by the emirates government. As part of a month-long
campaign, the Community Development Authority is asking parents what measures could be taken
to boost interaction with their children.
When the results are finalised the authority will issue a set of recommendations to the Dubai
Executive Council. Laws such as longer statutory maternity leave were likely to be among the
recommendations to the council. We also need to work on bridging the gap in technology
information skills between the two generations, said the authoritys Huda Al Suwaidi.
Many parents, especially women, admit that they are spending little quality time with their
children but say that their jobs are making it difficult, said the authoritys Huda Al Suwaidi during
a seminar held yesterday for employees of Rashid Hospital. Even those men who have multiple
wives expect their spouses to contribute financially. I am a second wife but I am responsible for
both me and my daughter financially. Even my husbands first wife is increasingly paying for her
household, so I have no option but to work. The problems of striking a balance between work and
home life mean that some women will resign in favour of caring for their children.

The campaign, which hopes to get feedback from about 500 people in 10 government bodies, was
launched after a survey on 403 Emirati students from public and private schools in grades 7 to 12
suggested a lack of parental supervision.
Luxury baby market
Bloomberg reported in 2013 how the luxury market for babies is back and this is certainly true in
the UAE, which is home to many of the luxury brands for babies and kids. However, alongside this
need for greater and greater luxury for every corner of the market, there is a trend for lower priced
alternatives that has seen a growth in craft and flea markets. The National reported in 2013 how a
baby market called Baby Bazaar in Dubai is the first of its kind to offer second hand goods: The
first Baby Bazaar Market Day was held in Dubais Times Square Centre just over a year ago, and
every month since then. Reasonably priced second-hand things in good condition toys, books,
clothes, prams, highchairs, car seats, bouncers, cots, maternity clothing weighed down more
than 26 tables the first month. Now, a year later, 70 tables have been booked for the Dubai event
at the end of the month. A similar event followed in Abu Dhabi, and this type of event is certainly
in line with a move towards certain residents wanting to reuse and recycle.
Kids
The number of Kids (aged 3-8) reached 398,000 in 2012, around 4 times the figure from 2000. The
rise in the number of Kids in the period 2005 to 2010 reflects the boom time, and has since been in
decline and is projected to reach 358,000 in 2015. With the influx of expats between 2005 and
2010, but specifically up to the crash of 2008, many working expats that arrived during the boom
period then had children during this time of plenty, and this pushed up the number of 3-8 year
olds.
Expat Briefing stated in 2013 that In terms of the cost of raising children abroad, the Middle
Eastern countries tend to be among the most expensive, with 77% of expats in the UAE reporting
an increase in childcare costs since relocating. This is certainly something corroborated almost
daily by expats on forums and in coffee shops. The Gulf News reported in 2013 how education in
the UAE was the fourth most expensive in the world. The UAEs stable political and economic
environment, coupled with its favourable lifestyle for students, has made it the most attractive
destination within this region for education, both for international students and for students from
the neighbouring GCC and Middle Eastern markets, Rick Crossman, head of UAE retail banking
and wealth management at HSBC Bank Middle East.
One expat blogger noted that there are: ...a wide choice of nursery's, pre-schools, primary schools
and secondary schools that follow international levels of teaching. The fact that there are many is
true, but choosing one can be difficult for parents and the major hurdle is the cost. The
Expatwoman website published the school fees for Dubai in 2013 2014, with one well known
school charging AED47,559 for nursery and reception classes and AED95,199 for years 12-13.
Gulf News reported in 2013 how there are 184 private schools in Abu Dhabi, with 14 different
curricula offered (due to the different country systems made available for expats). The report
stated how the age of admission had been changed to bring schools into line with international
standards: Children below the age of three years and eight months in the emirate of Abu Dhabi
can no longer be admitted to KG 1 from the start of the 2014-2015 academic year. A worrying
report in The National in 2012 noted how schools with low tuition fees were closing, due to
economic reasons and with public schools only available to locals, it meant that expat families on
low incomes were being priced out of an acceptable education for their children. The problem
was reported to be acute in Dubai, with seven schools having closed in the previous three years.
The fact that many parents opt for private schools, means that additional costs for transport
(generally school bus, as very few kids can walk or cycle to school), uniforms, trips and lunches
add up to a huge bill each year. For expats it is crucial that they negotiate a contract that makes
allowances for school fees, otherwise they are likely to be severely out of pocket. Gulf News
reported in 2013 how parents were complaining about the cost of school uniform packages, which
they say had doubled in price in some cases: The new school uniform package for the forthcoming

academic year costs Dh765 for grades one to six, said a recent circular. It costs Dh1,000 with an
optional schoolbag and a pair of shoes. The Expat arrivals website, provides an overview of the
cost of schooling in Abu Dhabi, and suggests AED20,000 to AED50,000 for school fees and a
further set of fees for transport, books, enrolment fees and uniforms. An article in Arabian Business
in 2013, identifies the fact that Dubai schools cost more than UK universities, with one interviewee
saying that the quality of education did not match the standard in countries like the UK: Theres
something going badly wrong in the education here; its hugely expensive and its not delivering a
UK quality education. This is an issue echoed by many in the UAE, and in some cases people are
choosing to home school or to send their kids to other countries for their education.
Out of school activities for kids cover the full range of options, from horse riding to skiing and piano
lessons. Many expat children have a far greater opportunity to partake in organised activities than
they would in their home countries, due to the wide variety of options available and the need for
children to have things to occupy them inside when the weather is hot. Time Out, Expat Woman,
school websites and numerous Facebook pages list a plethora of activities for kids in the UAE, with
a concentration of activities in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
One expat pointed out how there is now the trend for more expat families to stay in the country
during the hot summer months (instead of leaving the husbands working, while the wife and
children escape the heat) and this has resulted in an increase in organised summer camps,
targeting those children left in the UAE in the summer. Childrens parties are also big business, with
no end to the way in which luxury can be sold to all age groups, and no end of opportunities for
businesses to offer more and more spectacular options for parents looking to do bigger and better
celebrations. The Xpress reported in 2012 on Spa Parties for kids: Manicures, pedicures, hair
styling, braiding, make-up and body glitter ... this isnt a behind-the-scenes at Dubai Fashion Week,
this is a regular weekend spa party for children, a concept thats the latest rage in town. Its a
huge trend at the moment, says Colour Nail owner Dolly Smayra. Come Thursday evening and
were booked with back-to-back kids spa parties going up to Saturday night. So many girls today
want to feed their inner diva and now, heres their outlet. In a country that likes to have the
biggest and best of everything, kids parties are only really limited by the imagination and the
depth of pocket of those paying for it.
The National reported in 2013 on a support group for mothers with autistic children: Ms Bhuptani,
47, wanted a network where parents could give support, share stories or simply lend a sympathetic
ear to each other. I wanted to do something like this for ages because in Abu Dhabi, there really
was no support for parents who discover they have a child with autism, she said. With one report
in The National in 2013 stating that pupils with learning difficulties are being rejected from some
schools due to the fact that the school wishes to maintain league table positions, it is a significant
problem for parents. There are few options for parents in the UAE, and with some options being
aimed at children with more severe needs, it can be very difficult, for expat parents in particular, to
get the help they need. Middle East Health reported in 2011 on the problem of lack of services:
Mental health needs and services for children and adolescents with special needs is a largely
neglected area in the MENA region overall.
Spas for 3 year old divas.
The silly-looking clown, bouncy castles and the host singing the happy birthday song along with a
Mickey Mouse are so pass. Emirates 24/7 reported in 2013 how spa parties for little girls are the
preferred option for chic 3 year old girls. Hard to believe though it may be, certain spas charge
between AED110 and AED130 per child for manicure, pedicure, and make-up (basically all the
things that the mothers would opt for themselves). Some organisers also include fashion shows
and discos. For young girls, and especially those in Dubai, it is all about being pampered and glam
just like their mothers. The fact that pets also get their own version of a spa treatment and bling
accessories makes it inevitable that young children are sucked into the diva lifestyle.
More schools needed by 2020
A report in The National in 2013 noted how more private schools would be needed to cope with the
expected influx of students to the region by 2020. The UAEs private education market is about

the same size as Indias and Chinas combined. It is said that the number of students is likely to
triple by 2020. Western-branded higher education institutions in the country are growing by 15
per cent a year, with the UAE hosting 37 international branch campuses the highest number in
the world. The main issue with Dubai schools is actually getting a place. Oversubscription and the
nightmare of waiting lists is something regularly discussed by stressed parents.
Tweenagers
The number of Tweens (aged 9-12) was at 308,000 in 2012, with this number being around 1.3
times the figure recorded in 2000. An upward trend between 2005 to 2010 reflects the boom time,
since then a decline has been evident and the number of Tweenagers is projected to be 297,000 in
2015.
The school day for most tweens involves a trip by car or bus to a private school. Generally, schools
start around 8am and finish around 2pm, but there are differences within and between
the emirates. Aside from the usual school trips and after school clubs, tween expats, life can be
very different to their contemporaries in their native countries. One reporter in The National
lamented on what it meant for her own daughter becoming a tween: Thanks to a few longdistance flights over the past year, my daughter now finds herself a member of the airline's Guest
Silver programme. She even has her own card to prove it. And with just 12,000 or so more air miles
to go (a snap when you are from Australia), it won't be long before she hits gold membership. Her
taste in travel matches her new status. Gone are the days when she willingly travelled in economy,
where leg room was never an issue for somebody so small, headphones were unnecessary
because watching the movement on the TV screen was enough and the activity pack kept her
amused for a good 15 minutes. Instead, she wants the five-star treatment when she flies - flat
beds, food and snacks on demand, the occasional massage in her business-class seat and her
Netbook and Nintendo DSi within easy reach. This may sound preposterous, but this type of story
is very typical for children brought up in the UAE and particularly Dubai.
An article in Gulf News in 2011 identifies the teenage and tweenage media moguls and their
influence on their fan bases: These days it's not uncommon to find 14 year old's with their own
fashion and perfume lines, which they're busy promoting, whilst holding down a day job as a
Disney starlet or teen idol pop star. Despite their young age, the tweens seem to know what they
like and in the UAE, many have the purchasing power (supplied by their parents) to fuel their wants
and needs.
Cosmetic surgery for Tweens
A worrying trend in The National in 2013 highlighted how cosmetic surgery for kids is on the rise:
Children as young as 7 are visiting plastic surgeons during the school holidays for procedures
ranging from liposuction to ear reshaping. Couple this with the fact that children are brand
conscious, fashion conscious and plugged into the world via their computers and smart phones and
it becomes apparent that children are offered choices and opportunities which were once only
available to adults. The 7-Days reported in 2013 how one UAE surgeon claimed that fat kids were
having bariatric surgery for obesity as young as 11 years old.
The premature ageing of Tweens
Gulf News reported in 2012 of the targeting of products, such as make up, that were once aimed at
older children: A walk through any major mall in Dubai reveals a smattering of outlets catering to
teens and tweens. What appears pink and pretty on the outside gives way to disturbing products
on the inside. A popular American store for girlish accessories sells all kinds of make-up products
targeted specifically at pre-teens. From rings that conceal a coloured gloss, to manicure kits,
lipstick sets, and eyeshadow palettes, tweens are spoilt for choice.
Another article in Gulf News in 2012 talks of the tough call for tweens and the embracing of
adulthood. The frequent comment that kids are growing up more and more quickly, is certainly
corroborated by a stroll around a mall in Dubai. Luxuries that were once targeted only at adults,
have been repackaged for younger and younger children, and when young kids are attending spa

parties and shopping for designer bikinis, it is clear that the blurring of the lines between the age
milestones that were once steeped in meaning has, perhaps, disappeared forever.
Teens
The number of Teens (aged 13-17) reached 406,000 in 2012, with this number being around double
the figure from 2000, due to the increase in population during that period thanks to the boom
times. The number of Teens is expected to remain constant to 2015 with a projection of 402,000.
As one would expect, in a country where small kids are attending spa parties that mirror the
pampering choices and luxury lifestyle of their parents, it is no surprise that the UAE teens are a
fashion conscious, body conscious, internet savvy, media hungry bunch. Whether locals or expats,
the teens love shopping and enjoying life. Gulf News reported in 2012 how the teens in the UAE
spent 3 times the world average on fashion. Reporting on the findings of the Global Teen Insights
Programme, Mena addition 2010, the UAE teens spent AED260 a month on fashion.
Most teens in the UAE live with their families, and are probably very comfortable staying in a home
where a housemaid, gardener and car cleaner are the norm, and where they are supported
financially. Many UAE teens are well off, due to the financial position of their families and the fact
that they are not required to make a contribution to the finances, which in any case, is difficult.
Culturally, it can be more difficult for UAE teens to follow fashion in the way that Westerners do,
but that does not stop them trying. The Kippreport referred to the UAE teens as the fashionistas of
the Middle East in a 2010 report, and pointed out how they are ...pushing against conservative
social norms, with more open abayas and well-styled locks of hair peeping through their hijabs.
Aquarius Magazine ran an article in 2013 on the parenting of teenagers, and commented on
whether the issues experienced by teens in the UAE are specific to the country. The counsellor
commented: I think the more common issues in the UAE are those more applicable to expatriate
lifestyle, such as adjusting to relocation, starting a new school, people leaving and friendships
changing. Also, the high expectations of schools and the focus on pure academics rather than
vocational skills and courses puts pressure on teens. On the whole though, the issues that
teenagers come to me with in the UAE are in keeping with those that I would have encountered in
the UK. This highlights an important point, in that there is a lot of pressure on the academic
success of teens in the UAE. Anecdotal evidence sourced from some UAE expat teenagers points to
the expectation that teens must go to university, and those that express interest in a vocational
path are treated as oddities by their peers. For many expat teens, university attendance means
relocating back to their native country, which in some cases is a country they have never lived in.
Those expat kids born in the UAE may have never lived elsewhere and due to the fact that
citizenship of the UAE is not granted to expats, it means that some kids will feel little affinity to the
country that their parents consider to be home. Clearly this is not an issue that is specific only to
teens, but it is perhaps felt more by this age group as they grapple with identity and questions of
where they want to live after their schooling stops.
Teens partake in adult pastimes and practices far earlier than they used to, as demonstrated by a
report in Emirates 24/7 in 2010 which identified how children as young as 14 are getting tattoos
and in the process are helping a thriving unlicensed tattoo industry. The report points out that
piercing was a previous trend and that tattooing has been growing in popularity, even though it is
banned in places like Dubai: The thriving underground tattoo business in Dubai is worth millions
with more than 100 professional tattoo artists operating in the emirate. Other reports highlight
that drugs and smoking are popular with teens, with one study from 2013 showing that one in five
teenage boys in the UAE smokes. Alcohol is also popular amongst expat teens, even though it is
illegal; it is obtained via various methods. As an article in the Daily Mail pointed out in 2012, the
lifestyle for expat teens can be hedonistic. One expat teen comments: ...the weekends are all
about alcohol for expat teenagers here in the Emirates with pay-for-entry parties, often held in
deserted, unfinished apartment blocks.
In other countries, it would be normal for teens to get a part-time job to bring in some pocket
money and start taking some fiscal responsibility, but in the UAE it is more difficult for teens to find
work due to the labour laws that limit working to those with visa, work contract and labour card,

and also the fact that the many of the jobs that would traditionally be done by teens to earn a bit
of cash, such as mowing lawns, delivering papers and cleaning cars are jobs that are usually
carried out by adult expats on very low wages. Often, these low paid jobs are the full time jobs for
the workers that take them and this means that there are very few opportunities for teens to
legally earn money for themselves outside of doing chores around the home, and even then, if the
family has a housemaid (which is very common in the UAE), it makes it even less likely that a teen
will find work around the home. A posting on a forum, from a UAE resident, answering a question
from a lady moving to Abu Dhabi that asks about work for her teenager says: ....as far as jobs go,
no I have never seen Westerners working in places you'd see them working back home in the
US/Canada like restaurants or stores... those jobs are taken mostly by Filipinos or other people who
are willing to work for a very low salary. I've never seen any Westerners/English speakers working
as nannies, I as well as some of my friends babysit for other expats who don't need nannies
though. She also has to have a workers visa to even get a job over here. I can talk to her if she'd
like and introduce her to some of my friends once she gets over here, besides hanging out with
friends there really isn't much for her to do if she isn't going to school, I'm afraid. Of course
sightseeing, shopping, going to the beach, and stuff like that can occupy a lot of time too though.
A report in Gulf News highlighted the problem, and the fact that some teens had not been paid
when taking on work without a contract, and quoted the Ministry of Labour as saying: ..nobody is
authorised to work without a labour contract or a labour card even if they are underage, and these
conditions apply to both limited employment contracts and unlimited employment contracts.....
school students, college and university students sponsored by the institute or sponsored by their
parents are also allowed to work part-time under certain conditions, with a part-time work permit
provided by the Ministry of Labour. The Ministry official also said: .... teenagers in the age group
15-18 years are allowed to work even with promotional companies, on obtaining a teenage work
permit from the Labour Ministry.
Psychology Today highlighted in 2012 the issue of eating disorders amongst Emirati teenagers:
Alas, the Emirati healthcare system, while great at dealing with acute illness, says the physician,
is not as good with long-term issues. She sent the patient to get some baseline lab work and
referred her to both a psychologist and nutritionist/dietician. Now many months later, the patient
has not made an appointment with the psychologist, has not returned to the pediatrics clinic as
requested and still has not had her appointment with the nutritionist. Unlike in America, where
pediatricians follow patients through their college years, there is no such protocol in the UAE. For
many years teenagers were considered lost patients, whose needs were largely overlooked,
says the pediatrician. Outside the U.S., health care of the adolescent has a very long way to go.
Adult fun for teens
The luxury of visiting nightclubs is no longer exclusively for adults in Dubai, with the 7-days news
demonstrating that there is really no limit to how adult fun can be remodelled for a different
generation. In 2012 it reported how an alcohol free under 21s nightclub had opened in Dubai. The
Marketing Manager for the club pointed out that teens want to experience nightclubs: ...why not
give them that experience minus the reason they couldnt have it in the first place alcohol. She
went on to say how the teens can expect the same luxury experienced by adults in the city. The
evenings will be divided into two sessions to cater for the different tastes of age groups. We are
catering to two different age groups. Rhythm from 6pm to 9.30pm for ages 12 to 15 and Rotate
from 10pm to 2.30am is for ages 16 to 21. It is important to understand the maturity, interests and
also music tastes of a 12-year-old are different to that of an 18-year-old.
Fake Braces for teens
A 2013 blog posting of a dental clinic in Dubai highlighted the status symbol of Asian teens fake
braces. The article points out how the faux fashion braces are regarded as a status symbol in
countries where orthodontics are considered a luxury. It is unclear whether this trend will catch on
in the UAE, but it does draw attention to the fact that orthodontics are big business in the UAE,
with adults and teens alike opting for braces in the search for a perfect smile.

Young Adults
The number of Young adults (aged 18-29) reached 2,082 million in 2012. This number being over
2.5 times the figure from 2000, with this number expected to drop to 1,583 million in 2015. The
figure has been slowly dropping since its peak in 2010 of 2,433 million, as the influx of expat
workers tailed off after the boom and bust of pre and post 2008.
For those people that continue their education, there are limited University options in the UAE
when compared to other countries, and although some UK, USA universities do have campuses in
the UAE, the options for students are less and there is perhaps a feeling that gaining a degree in
another country offers some benefit in terms of getting out of the country and also studying in a
more traditional seat of learning. Many expat children therefore travel overseas for their education.
A study undertaken by Plymouth University in 2013, which looked at higher education choices of
expat children, showed that there was a desire for students to return to where they regarded as
home to undertake their studies: The study found that the higher education choices of these
expatriate children were most influenced by their need or desire to return to the place regarded as
home; to study in the country where they intend to settle permanently; to live with, or be close to,
siblings or extended members of their family; to minimize tuition, accommodation and general
living costs; and to study in the location where they would feel most comfortable. For students
leaving the UAE, rankings and institutional reputation were key determinants of choice of higher
education institution. Students remaining in the UAE were far more likely to rely on word of mouth
from family or friends. It is concluded that living an internationally mobile lifestyle has significant
impacts on the choices made by expatriate children.
A report in Gulf News in 2011 demonstrates that some Emiratis look at the matter of further
education rather differently. The choice of international options now available means that locals
can now opt to study close to home if they wish to, rather than having no choice but to travel: The
university options existing today mean Emirati high school graduates can now pursue their studies
up to the PhD level without leaving the country, so they can stay close to their families. This
demonstrates that the expats and locals look at the matter in a different way, with the former
looking to travel to their perceived home to study and the latter wishing to stay at home to study.
A report in the Khaleej Times in 2013 highlighted the problem faced by young Emiratis looking for
work and the fact that knowing someone played an important role in finding a job. Contrast this
with the criticism in another article in The National in 2013 that suggests that the expectations of
Emirati graduates are unrealistic and their view of education misplaced. Many young Emiratis see
a degree as only a piece of paper that can get them a job or a promotion. Education is generally
viewed as a means for that, and not as a learning experience that will increase their skills and
make them more productive while working. The number of Emirati college students is increasing.
In Dubai, for example, the number rose by 10 per cent last year to 20,619, according to a report
published by Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority.
Citing a study by Gulf Talent, the article points out that 86% of male Emirati students and 66% of
female students hope to work for the Government: We keep talking about Emiratisation and the
need to engage citizens in the private sector, but we often neglect an important underlying issue:
do we have enough skilled and competitive Emiratis to fill these positions?
A report in The National in 2010, showed that marriage generally occurs during young adulthood.
Citing statistics from the Statistical Yearbook of Abu Dhabi, the article considered the fact that one
third of Emirati women had marriages that ended in divorce and the average age for Emirati
women to marry was 25.8 years, as opposed to 26.5 years for men. Marriage figures from the Abu
Dhabi Judicial Department were 25.3 for expat women and 26.6 for expat men. A report in Al
Arabiya News in 2012 noted the problem with the rise in divorce and the drop in fertility in the
UAE.
Citing a study by Zayad University, which revealed that the UAE birth rate had declined to 2
children per family, and the age of marriage had increased, questions were raised over the:
..eroding family structure of the countrys generations. A study on Polygamy carried out at the
UAE University/ Texas A&M University, points out that for Emirati women, the role of wife and

mother is something that must be carried out alongside any workforce participation. The paper
also refers to non-marriage and divorce as a major social problem. These type of changes, may
be due to the exposure to Western ways through the influx of expats, the prevalence and power of
the media and better opportunities for education. Regardless of the reasons, it is clear that the
huge number of expats in the UAE is having an impact on the UAE.
A report in The National in 2010 commented on how large Emirati families were reducing in
number, quoting the study by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development. Dr Meenaz
Kassam, assistant professor of sociology at the American University of Sharjah, said: "Women
today are highly educated," she said. "It's going to happen, in this generation in particular, family
sizes are going to become smaller." This will clearly impact on Emiratisation plans for the national
workforce.
Dr Kassam, an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Sharjah University said in an article in The
National in 2010 that: The large percentages of young people in Arab societies have often been
cited as a problem for the region.....[but] the high percentage of young people could prove a boon
to the country and provide a "demographic dividend" if job creation was addressed and they were
educated and trained properly. Reports in 2014 that the UAE plans to introduce military service for
young male adults that have no high school education and are under 30 years. For women it is
reported that military service will be optional. This will clearly increase the size of the countrys
armed forces, but will also impact on education choices and subsequent employment of young
adults.
When luxuries become necessities
Aside from education and family life, unsurprisingly, young adults in the UAE also love their luxury
items and are not averse to borrowing heavily to get what they want. A report in The National in
2011 demonstrated how both Emiratis and expats are prepared to over stretch themselves to keep
up with their richer friends. An Emirati Relationship Manager at one leading bank in Dubai said: I
had clients mostly in their twenties, at the beginning of their careers, who came in the bank and
asked for personal loans to buy a AED500,000 luxury car when their salary was no more than
AED14,000 a month. Vertu phones are highly demanded by young Emirati men as well. I had a
client whose salary was AED8,000 per month who asked for a Dh30,000 personal loan to buy a
signature Vertu phone. This doesn't apply to UAE nationals only. Professional Arabs and Europeans
such as investors and managers are very interested in luxury products, especially real estate and
sport cars. Most of our clients who ask for personal loans are men. I rarely deal with young
women. This is significant because it demonstrates the importance placed on possessions, and
that saving and thus waiting to purchase is simply not an option, and even though banks have
become more careful when loaning money, and interest rates are more significant, the need for
young adults to keep up with their friends and acquaintances extends beyond what some would
regard as reasonable.
Vocational education to address labour shortfall
Whilst further education is a popular choice for expats and locals alike, vocational education is also
now gaining popularity, particularly in terms of addressing a shortfall of skilled local labour.
Although it is still seen as an alternative option for those that are not academically gifted, there are
moves afoot to improve its standing and make it a viable choice for people, and one that addresses
important workforce issues for the country. The New York Times reported on the subject in 2013:
The United ArabEmirates suffers from chronic, structural weaknesses in boys education. A
striking 25 percent of Emirati boys fail to complete high school, according to 2012 statistics from
the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai.
Enabling the country to train its own people to undertake jobs previously undertaken by expats,
and thus reduce the reliance on the expat workforce, would seem like a very sensible strategy in
order to marshal a more sustainable economy. Making changes to the higher education choice for
young adults, and equipping them with skills and training to enable them to compete against
overseas workers, and to have greater choice in the job market is in line with the push for
Emiratisation.

Middle Youth
The number of Middle youth (aged 30-44) reached 3,716 million in 2012. This number being over
3.5 times the figure from 2000, with this number expected to jump to 4,066 million in 2015. This
group is made up of a huge number of expats who have relocated to the UAE to take up a career,
earn a tax-free salary, start a family, or try something new.
Emirates 24/7 presented the problem of an early mid-life crisis in an article in 2011. A researcher
who interviewed 50 people between the ages of 25 and 35 said: It is about people feeling a
frenetic need to get a job, make money and be successful quickly....It links to the demanding
nature of people in their 20s and 30s who want it all. They are not happy with a mediocre, ploddy,
conventional life. This is certainly pertinent for middle youth in the UAE, who are surrounded by
opulence, have the opportunity to make money and compare themselves to their peers. A 31-yearold advertising executive comments: Times have changed, and the business world has become a
lot more competitive. When you look around and see others doing better, you start doubting your
abilities and lay blame on other factors that bog you down be it your family responsibilities, your
college debt or your lack of job security. The generation before us had the luxury of leading an
easier life, where peer pressure and the thirst to prove oneself was not as demanding. Today, its
the case of the pressure piling on, leading to a volatile situation where something has got to give
and in our case it is the psychological stability.
An article in Emirates 24/7 in 2013 identified how UAE planning ministry statistics showed that the
age of marriage in the UAE was being pushed upwards with 60% of women unmarried over 30
years old in 2012 as opposed to 20% in 1995. A study by the UAE Marriage Fund suggests that
increases in the cost of living and the cost of dowries could be to blame. The survey indicated that
87 per cent of respondents blamed high dowries for low marriage rates among Emiratis. A UAE
female expat suggests that a career and independence can intimidate men. Also, after a certain
age when one has lived independently and achieved high levels of success personally it is difficult
to compromise on a certain way of life, this intimidates most men because deep down they are
afraid to have an equal standing partner.
For women they are more able than before to make choices, and to live independently which has a
knock-on effect for marriage, children and careers. In the UAE, with its melting pot of cultures, it
makes it possible for different expats and locals to see how others live and to make direct
comparisons that would otherwise be difficult to make. One criticism is that it is difficult to meet
potential relationship partners, due to the fact that for many the UAE is somewhere they pass
through, and the transient nature makes it more challenging to meet people who might want a
proper relationship. One female expat sums up the situation in Dubai rather well: Dubai is a stop
gap city for most people. They come here to make quick tax free income, live the good life and go
back. With such a mindset, everything is a stopgap: relationships, friendships, and jobs. It is very
difficult to meet new people in Dubai especially if you move from another country. People here
prefer exclusive groups and are not open to welcoming people in a social circle.
For the 30-somethings who dont have children, living in the UAE is a paradise for those with
disposable income. For those on a budget, it can be a challenge to find budget fun, but it is
becoming more prevalent, as people tighten their belts in light of the world economy and those
who foretell doom and gloom. The international press paint a picture of designer clad 30somethings quaffing champagne and driving Porsches and to a degree, in Dubai at least, that is
true. But the reality of life for this group is perhaps more mundane, with people simply doing what
most 30-somethings do: work hard, play hard, find a partner, do the grocery shopping, pay the
bills, cook dinner, try and save some money, meet friends, buy stuff that they want, and take
vacations. Life can be lived on any budget, but for those that are well off, it can be done in style
and Dubai and Abu Dhabi are good at providing plenty of options for those with money to burn.
For those couples with children, if they can get past the crippling school fees and cost of housing,
then they can party on with their childless friends. Having a live-in maid makes it easier to go out,
as there is always a baby sitter available (and someone to walk the dog) and so the restrictions on
going out that having children would normally place on parents, do not necessarily apply in the
UAE. Domestic help certainly makes life easier for those who work hard, or have children, and this

is, for some, is a big reason for living in the country rather than their home country, even though
many expats still complain about the cons of living in the Middle East. The attraction of a tax free
salary and a decent standard of living, and of course the weather, is a pull for many expats,
particularly those from the middle youth group who are looking to improve their standard of living
and provide for their families. One Dubai expat, aged 38, commented in The Independent in 2012:
One thing I miss is culture. They're opening a Guggenheim and a Louvre in Abu Dhabi but what I
miss is small boutique shops. I've been here seven years now; I love to think at some point I'll go
back to the UK but looking at the property market, the financial market, the weather... it won't
happen for a good few years yet and this is a sentiment echoed by many, many expats of the
middle youth age group. Justifying leaving the UAE is difficult, and as a result they stay on.
The HSBCs annual global study: The Future of Retirement: A New Reality in 2013, surveyed 1,000
people in the UAE and revealed that 46% are prevented from saving due to the cost of living:
...UAE residents also believe that they can put off their savings as late as the age of 37 and still
expect to maintain the same standard of living they currently enjoy. The results show that UAE
residents: ....tend to have a much bigger appetite for entrepreneurial activity in later years, as the
second biggest aspiration for people in the UAE during retirement is to start a business, with more
than half (51%) expressing the desire, compared to just 7% in the UK. The study also found that
UAE residents also rely heavily on cash for their retirement, and this presents a problem when
these cash savings are dipped into for lifes expenses.
Expats choosing to stay longer
Arabian Business reported in 2013 how expats plan to stay in the UAE for longer: More than threequarters of expatriates in the UAE believe the emirates is the best country for opportunities, with
over half indicating they expect to remain an expat for at another decade, a new survey has found.
The Standard Life Western Expatriate Wealth Study of 200 expats in the UAE found 78% viewed the
UAE as the ideal expat location way ahead of the UK (8%), Australia (6%) and Canada (5%). This
is a significant change, as many expats who arrived in the boom time; saw themselves as staying
only 3 years. Expat postings were seen as temporary, and a way to make some hard cash, but
there has been a significant shift of opinion, with many expats feeling that they are better off
staying in the UAE until something better comes along, due to the quality of life, the tax-free salary
and, of course, the weather. Gulf Business commented on a study by Friends Provident
International in 2013: Most UAE investors would prefer to spend an unexpected windfall on
property or gold rather than save it towards a pension. The degree to which the expats manage to
improve their financial stability, and plan for their future is open to debate, with many reports
suggesting that saving and planning take a back seat to just living and buying non-essential
luxuries. This lack of planning for the future is an issue that will not go away.
Homesick expats look for ways to bring Christmas to the UAE
There is certainly no end of Christmas decorations, real Christmas trees, food, drink and gifts
available to buy in the UAE and the Christmas period is embraced with gusto by the shopping
outlets looking to cash in on expats who choose to spend the Christmas period in the country. A
report in the National in 2013 showed how one enterprising business in Dubai is offering expats the
one thing that is hard to come by in the desert a white Christmas. The winter effects company
offers various snow packages to homes and businesses looking to create a winter feeling. On
hearing that it is possible to carpet your garden in snow and create snowballs and snowmen in the
desert, most expats will shrug and say anything is possible here, and that is the point really. Dubai,
in particular, seems well equipped to offer anything that is desired and the wackier and out of
context the better. Many expats, especially those with young families, crave a feel of home, and in
many ways it is easier for them to bring home to the UAE, even if it comes at an exorbitant cost;
AED20,000 will buy a homesick expat fir trees, snowmen and a machine for making falling snow. It
is possible to put a price tag on missing home, and for some expats there is no limit to what they
will pay.
Mid-lifers

The number of Mid-lifers (aged 45-59) reached 1,146 million in 2012. This number is around 4
times the figure from 2000, with the increase being due to the influx of migrant workers of working
age. The number is expected to jump to a projected 1,522 million in 2015, and certainly the
winning of Expo2020 will see more workers head to the UAE and specifically Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
With the Mid-lifers being established in their chosen career, they represent a particular type of
experienced worker and managerial level staff that make up a very important tranche of the
workforce. Mid-lifers may be looking to earn a tax free salary in order to boost their retirement, or
be drawn by the promises of a safe and secure environment for their family.
The Financial website This is Money ran an article in 2012 on over 50s and how they are fuelling
a boom in self-employment. In the UAE, it is relatively easy to start a company, with many options
available and this makes it an attractive option for those looking to set up by themselves.
Furthermore, a report on Youtube by Staysure, reports that Brookfield GRS (a relocation specialist)
carried out a study that found that one fifth of the people that moved abroad in 2012 were
between 50 and 59, and with Prime Location listing the UAE as their most popular non EU location
for people wishing to move abroad, with them reporting that searches of the property website
showed an increase of 50% in searches for property in the UAE during the last 3 months of 2011.
A posting on the International Schools Review website, that looks at potential issues for teachers
gaining employment in the UAE, makes the point that it can be difficult for over 55s to be
employed due to private schools deciding that their age limit was 55, despite the government
upping the retirement age to 65: If a school wants a particular person in the middle east then they
do have influence to hire staff who are over 60. I have been employed in several locations, Sharjah,
Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Kuwait and I was 58 years of age when I started here. The Abu Dhabi and
their providers last year employed hundreds of teachers who were over 60 years of age and now
that the providers have just about gone they are still employing those that fit their needs.
The 7-days ran an article in 2011 called The real midlife crisis and made the point that by the
time people are in their 50s: ...the children are likely to have left home and be supporting
themselves. Youre probably at the highest income level of your career at this point, and should
really focus now on building your retirement assets to the maximum of your ability. This is likely to
be the last opportunity to plan any sort of lifestyle for your golden years. It goes on to say that
many people of that age in the UAE find themselves in a worse financial position in their 50s that
they were in their 30s and it is simple to see how this could so easily be true in the UAE, where
schooling is so costly and older children and young adults need ongoing financial support for
further education and living costs, and there are likely to be frail parents at home too that need
support. Gone are the days when the kids fly the coop at 18, the financial burden on 50 something
parents extends well beyond that these days, and not least in the UAE where saving is made
harder by the luxury lifestyle that is hard to avoid. The term Sandwich Generation coined by
Dorothy Miller over 25 years ago, is highly relevant to mid-lifers in the UAE. In this case mid-lifers
are sandwiched between dependents that are probably located in different countries, but despite
the geographic disparity, the financial and emotional burden can be great, especially as a time
when they should be carefully planning for their own futures.
Cosmetic surgery for Mid-lifers
A report in Emirates 24/7 in 2013 on a study that revealed changes in the way women perceive
their faces as they age: Women in their 20s, for example, see their nose and skin as highly
desirable of change, while the skin around the eyes (periorbital region) is the primary cause of
concern for women in their 30s and 40s. Women in their 50s, however, regard the jawline as a
focal point. This is an important finding in a country that is awash with cosmetic surgery options
as more and more women choose to go down this road.
Adventrous mid-lifers
The mid-lifers who enjoy good health and have deep pockets can satisfy their need for adventure
with foreign travel through bespoke trips that combine luxury and adventure. An article in Hotelier
Middle East, in 2013 which looked at global travel spend by Asians, makes an interesting point
about mid-lifers: Expansive mid-lifers, the growing numbers of adventurous over 50s travellers

currently and for the first time the fastest growing and most affluent age group. These travellers
seek new experiences yet demand services that respect their needs without labelling them as old.
Late-lifers
The number of Late-Lifers (60 years plus) reached 100,000 in 2012. This number has doubled in
size since 2000 and is expected to jump to 162,000 in 2015. This group is only a very small
percentage of the total number of consumers and consists of both Nationals and non-Nationals.
Expat Late-Lifers can only reside in the UAE if they continue working, invest in property or are
sponsored by a family member with visa. Couple this with the fact that the National population is
also small, and the result is that Late-Lifers make up a very small percentage of the total
population. Despite the fact that the group is small, the ageing population is likely to create an
increased burden on the younger generation and will have significant implications for the economy
and health provision.
The visa requirements for expats over 60 years of age require a yearly renewal as opposed to the
normal 2 yearly renewal, (and this leads to increased costs for employers). The National (2013):
Each time the visa expires, the Ministry of Interior may, at its discretion, continue to renew the
employment visa for one more year until the employee reaches 65, although there may be some
leeway, dependent upon the qualifications and expertise of the individual. There is also the fact
that the UAE is an expensive place to retire for expats. According to a 2013 report in Gulf News,
Dubai has the highest average property price in the world. Dubai residents are being priced out of
the market as the cost of living rises. Therefore, with rents and property prices set to rise further,
the UAE is not a cheap place for expats to live, let alone retire, particularly in Emirates such as
Dubai and Abu Dhabi. A visa is required for those who invest in property, and for those that have
their own business. The rules therefore impact on the number of later-lifers that are in a position to
call it home. Clearly, some expats invest in property as part of their retirement plan and choose to
stay in the UAE long term, but they are in the minority.
Another issue that is likely to impact on the number of Late-Lifers is the recent ruling which states
that expatriates earning less than AED20,000 (or monthly pay of AED19,000 plus 2 bedroom
accommodation) will no longer be able to sponsor their parents. It is not uncommon for expat
workers to sponsor their family members, including the older generation, to come and live with
them and so those earning less than the criteria specified will now be prevented from doing so.
The absence of seniors is very apparent to the casual observer, a quick look around the shopping
malls and in the restaurants, in the cars and at the airport, will yield few sightings and points to the
fact that the UAE is likely to remain a city for the young and middle aged for the foreseeable
future.
The older generation of Nationals are living in a rapidly changing country, which can leave them
feeling like strangers in their own cities - The National (2013). A recent initiative by the Community
Development Authority is aiming to make life easier for Dubais elderly population. At the October
2013 International Day for Older Persons held at the World Trade Centre in Dubai, the new
Thukher cards for over 65s were announced by the Government. These senior citizen cards
provide discounts on services and products, and priority on transactions at various authorities,
which demonstrates that their needs are starting to be recognised, but it is clear that more can be
done for this small but significant group.
A report by The National in 2013 discussed the concern of the provision of mental health services
for the Elderly in the UAE and Arabian Gulf. The minority status of the elderly in a country like the
UAE where the citizens were already in the minority is referred to as a demographic imbalance
and ....may have a detrimental impact on the psychological wellbeing of the Gulfs elderly. The
article went on to discuss the problem of ageism, and the lack of specialist providers and clinicians
to provide suitable care.
In 2013 the UAE drafted a new law to protect the elderly. The aim of the new legislation was to
address differences in care across the emirates and to review the retirement age. Defining

elderly as anyone over 60 years old, only 4% of Nationals are in the elderly category, but that
this will increase to 6% (2017) and 11% (2032).
In 2010 the UAE raised the retirement age from 60 to 65, which enabled expats to work for another
5 years. UAE nationals are entitled to pensions and end of service benefits, but provision for expats
is still in the planning stage. The Abu Dhabi Government states: UAE nationals employed in both
public and private sectors are eligible for retirement pensions after fulfilling the eligibility
conditions set by Abu Dhabi Retirement Pensions and Benefits Fund. The contributions are:
employee (5%), employer (15%), Government (6%). A report in The Telegraph in 2013 highlighted
that the UAE planned to introduce a pension scheme for expats. One aim of this scheme is said to
be to stop the flow of money from the country caused by some groups of workers sending a large
percentage of their money home, and depriving the UAE economy of the funds. This means that
currently, those expats who work and then retire in the UAE must have sufficient funds to support
themselves, and have to make regular renewals of their residence visas as there is no opportunity
for citizenship regardless of the length of stay or investment made. An expat blogger in The
Telegraph commented in 2013 that ... citizenship would make it possible for long-term expats to
retire in the country that they love. You hear stories of people whove lived here 40 or 50 years,
and then have to leave at retirement age. The issues even more complex now expats can buy
property; I cant tell you how strange it feels to own your own house, to invest in it, do it up, put
your stamp on it, but to know that, ultimately and despite you owning it, it can never be a
forever house because, one day, youll have to leave.
A 2013 article in Reuters discusses the anxiety caused to UAE nationals following a call to
naturalise some expats. The objections ranged from worries about the added expense - the UAE
spends tens of billions of dollars each year on free education, healthcare, housing loans and grants
for its estimated 1.4 million citizens - to whether naturalised citizens could ever become true
Emiratis. This is an issue that will not be resolved easily, if ever, and so in the absence of a
citizenship option for expats, it means that non-working Late-Lifers who choose to make the UAE
home, must do so by their own means and without any state support.
High tech Late-Lifers look for better health and well-being as they age
The National (2013) reports that more than 85% of residents are online, and this fact together with
the likelihood that tech savvy Late-Lifers are likely to make more use of social media and mobile
technology in managing their health through apps and virtual methods. The Telegraph (2013)
points to the explosion of technological innovation in the field of elderly care, and the UAE
cannot be far behind the UK in harnessing technology to enhance the provision of care for this
group. At a Cabinet retreat in 2013 to discuss health treatment in the UAE, it was reported that:
Among the other announcements on Monday was an e-healthcare programme, with mobile health
services to serve those in remote areas or patients with reduced mobility, particularly the elderly.
Provision of health care and specialist services for Late-Lifers
Consumers in the this age segment are demanding better health care services, specialist travel
services, nursing care, mental health facilities, and home care and support facilities to improve the
quality of their life. The report in The National in 2013 which identified how a community centre for
the elderly in Dubai was due to be updated as part of a number of plans aimed at older members
of society, demonstrates the fact that the authorities are beginning to target the group: It is
among many plans to enhance care for the elderly in the emirate, including a mobile geriatric clinic
that will provide medical, physiotherapy and rehabilitation services. Plans for more elderly centres
in Dubai are also in the works.
The current health system is geared towards elective surgery and also medical tourism, and there
is currently little in the way of palliative care and specialist services, such as mobile care and
rehabilitation services for the care of the aged. These services will need to be ramped up to take
account of the ageing population.
Table 1 Consumer Segmentation and Population Data 2000, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012,
2015

Babies/infants (aged 02) ('000)

Kids (aged 3-8) ('000)
Tweens (aged 9-12) ('000)
Teens (aged 13-17) ('000)
Young adults (aged 1829) ('000)
Middle youth (aged 3044) ('000)
Mid-lifers (aged 45-59)
('000)
Later-lifers (aged 60+)
('000)
Population: National
estimates at January
1st ('000)
- Population aged 0-14:
January 1st ('000)
- Population aged 1564: January 1st ('000)
- Population aged 65+:
January 1st ('000)
- Male population:
January 1st ('000)
- Female population:
January 1st ('000)
- Urban population ('000)
- Rural population ('000)
Birth rates (per '000
population)
Death rates (per '000
population)
Marriage rates (per
'000 population)
Divorce rates (per '000
population)

2000

2005

2010

2011

2012

2015

147

154

177

176

184

189

309
196
212
782

301
188
226
1,125

441
328
380
2,433

419
318
394
2,270

398
308
406
2,082

358
297
402
1,583

983

1,275 3,411 3,560 3,716 4,066

276

378

952

1,040 1,146 1,522

50

51

78

86

100

162

2,956 3,697 8,200 8,264 8,339 8,580

742

733

1,106 1,081 1,057 998

2,184 2,934 7,062 7,150 7,245 7,525

30

30

32

33

36

57

1,973 2,488 6,121 6,162 6,211 6,340

983

1,209 2,079 2,102 2,128 2,240

2,352 3,029 6,889 6,963 7,043 7,282

604
669
1,311 1,301 1,296 1,298
17.4
15.7
9.6
10.1
10.2
9.8
1.7

1.5

0.9

0.9

0.9

1.1

2.8

3.2

1.8

1.8

1.8

1.8

0.7

0.8

0.5

0.5

0.5

0.5

Source: National statistics, Euromonitor International

Chart 1 Population Aged 15-64 Compared with Old-Age Dependency Ratio 2000-2020

Source: Euromonitor International

HOUSING AND HOUSEHOLDS

Home Ownership
Much is written and speculated about the property market in the UAE. The press focuses on Dubai
and Abu Dhabi, as these cities have seen the most significant explosions in building during the last
10 years. Rarely a day goes by without the local or international press commenting on the housing
industry in the UAE and whether a bubble exists or not. Residents are bombarded with the news of
how the value of their home or their rent has increased (or plummeted). Certainly the focus tends
to be on Dubai, as this has seen the biggest increases and drops in prices in recent years and it is a
frequent topic of discussion between friends, colleagues and business associates. To what degree
the lamenting of price increases over coffee becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy is difficult to
quantify, but the topic is certainly hot in all corners of the UAE. In 2013, The National reports how
the increases in property prices have exceeded the growth of salary and population numbers. The
reality on the ground is that residents and new arrivals must go about their business and find
accommodation amid the dire warnings of a bubble, with alarm bells that have been on standby for
years. The pundits and commentators continue to grapple to be the ones to call the next crash or
boom, and so it goes on.
In the UAE there are still big differences between the different Emirates, with Dubai, Abu Dhabi and
Sharjah offering the most choice in new, modern accommodation for expats and nationals alike.
The other Emirates do offer some new housing stock of course, but are generally less populated
and offer older housing of a more traditional construction. A recent report in The National in 2013
highlighted a number of new projects for the Northern Emirates that had been approved, which
included a new housing development in Ras Al Khaimah for local citizens, which is an Emirate of
the UAE that has benefited from the extended highway from Dubai and Sharjah which should boost
economic development. The media are now heralding many new mega projects planned for Dubai
in light of the awarding of the Expo2020, and real estate projects will certainly be part of the plan.
The degree, to which the other Emirates benefit and experience an upturn, remains to be seen,
and many people remain unconvinced of how something like the Expo will benefit them personally.
But there is no doubt that there is a feeling of optimism in the UAE. One expat commented in
October 2013 how Dubai had gone Expo Crazy, and going on to say ......our little city is doing
precisely what it does best and thats to show itself off, to innovate, to take the best ideas and to
think not just out of the box and but totally off the scale. Its totally aligned to the specifics of the
job in hand.
Historically it was not possible for non-Nationals to purchase property in the UAE, and with the
change to the rules, and the massive number of properties designed to meet the buying needs of
expats, the decision on whether to buy or rent came down to the length of time one expected to
stay in the UAE and whether it was possible to get a mortgage. It is well known that rents in Dubai
and Abu Dhabi are high, and for many people it places a huge drain on their finances. Renting
more cheaply in other Emiratesand commuting is an option that some choose, but the significant
travel burden makes this less desirable for many people. When hearing of a friend choosing to
move to another Emirate, some Expats will feel sympathy for their plight and worry for their friends
having to travel so far and live so far away. Dubai, in particular, is thought by many to be the
centre of everything worth doing and the thought of moving to another Emirate is a sign of things
going wrong. The fact that most places are really not that far away is irrelevant; it is about not
being in the thick of it anymore. Many of those expats that are renting will do their sums to see
whether they would be better off buying, and for many the sums do work out in favour of
purchase, but like many countries nowadays the ability to secure the mortgage depends on finding
a cash deposit and this can be prohibitively large for many people.

A report in Arabian Business in 2013 highlights how renters become purchasers: Property
purchase prices also rose more than 30 percent in the first six months of the year. Meanwhile, the
number of mortgages registered with the Dubai Land Department skyrocketed more than 46.1
percent in the first seven months of the year, from 1,632 during the same period last year to
2,385. The total value rose 65 percent from US$6.91bn to US$11.5bn. Mortgage rates have
significantly fallen from levels as high as 9.75 percent in 2009 to 3.99 percent at most banks
today. The problem with buying, as opposed to renting was seen in the crash of 2008 when
expats lost their jobs and could not afford their mortgage payments, along with the fact that the
prices dropped drastically and no one was buying. Remaining mindful of that historical fact is what
stops some expats from ever considering buying in the UAE and the fact that many expats know
someone who was left severely out of pocket through a rash property investment experience.
For those that choose to rent, a big problem is the yearly discussion with landlords, or their
representatives, wanting to increase prices beyond the specified limits. Stories abound of difficult
landlords and lengthy discussions that end in disgruntled tenants opting to move elsewhere,
sometimes on a yearly basis. Many people do not want the hassle of arguing and so they move at
the end of their contract to a new place and start a new landlord/ tenant relationship. To what
degree the media fuels this process of landlords expecting increases, through its constant warnings
of rent hikes is unclear, but the fact is that landlords hear the prices are supposedly rising, and
they want to see the benefits for themselves. There does not need to be any evidence, the news of
rent hikes spreads easily by word of mouth and before long, the rents have increased.
Al Bawaba (2013) reports that With fears of a lurking rental bubble especially post the Expo 2020
win, this latest announcement can be seen as yet another initiative by the government to ensure
that the momentum within the real estate sector is managed well and that landlords do not
arbitrarily hike rents on renewals on any property within the city. This also makes sense given the
fact that the many businesses and professionals expected to come into the country in the years
leading to the Expo could lead to heightened demand for properties, causing landlords to demand
higher rents.
The situation for Nationals is somewhat different, with housing initiatives for the citizens of the UAE
providing loans and grants for housing. Albawaba reports in 2013 how housing is a top priority for
the Rulers of the Emirates: Housing for Emiratis tops the priorities of all Rulers of the Emirates,
said Shaikh Mohammad. I always meet with Shaikh Khalifa, and every single time he inquires
about the living conditions of Emiratis. Our talks always focus on ways to provide citizens with a
good life. We will never rest until every Emirati is settled in his home, and Shaikh Khalifa is our
leader as we follow this approach. The Telegraph noted in 2013 how the way the Government
looks after its Citizens is one reason why many long-term residents would like to get themselves a
passport: Perhaps the biggest pull of a UAE passport, though, lies in the fantastic way the UAE
government looks after its own people thanks to a comprehensive social welfare system that
ensures all UAE nationals have an economic safety net and a relatively high standard of living. The
Sheikh Zayed Housing Project, for example, helps provide housing for UAE national families
through grants or interest-free loans; and we all know that utilities are much cheaper for Emiratis
than for expats.
Most households are well stocked with standard appliances such as: refrigerator, washing machine,
vacuum cleaner, and microwave. In contrast in 2012 only 29.5% had dishwashers, and 27.1% had
tumble driers, which is likely because, in the case of tumble driers, be due to the fact that many
people opt for washer driers for space saving reasons, and in the case of dishwashers many people
have a live-in maid, because they have the space and finances to afford not to undertake such
tasks themselves. One Expat comments how the issue of a live-in maid is a divisive issue, with
everyone having an opinion on it. The pros and cons of live-in help, gardeners, car cleaners and
nannies are a common topic of conversation on expat forums.
Homes with telephone landlines stand at only 50%, which is somewhat surprising given the
technological love affair in the UAE, but this is certainly due to the fact that people opt for mobile
telephones instead of landlines, especially if they wish to benefit from the portability of a phone, as
opposed to a landline, should they decide to move home or travel. The most surprising statistic is

that only 47.1% of households have freezers, this is likely due to the fact that many people now
opt to have a freezer section in the refrigerator which is generally small, but sufficient for their
needs. In the UAE many people shop regularly, for smaller quantities of groceries at a time, rather
than undertaking very large grocery shops which require the storing of goods for longer periods.
Gulf News (2013) reports that 73% of UAE consumers shop for groceries and general items at least
once a week.
Households uninsured
With such a large number of expats living in the UAE, coming from countries where insurance is
the norm, it is somewhat surprising to learn that contents insurance is rarely taken. Emirates 24/7
reported how a fire in the Tamweel Tower in Dubai in 2012 had highlighted the problem with the
lack of take up of insurance in the country, with insurance companies reporting a surge of interest
in contents insurance after the blaze. The reasons for the lack of interest in insurance is partly
cultural and also due to the transitory nature of the residents. The country is perceived to be safe
and risks low. The (relatively) low number of insurance providers and the lack of advertising also
contributes to this issue. Gulf News in 2013 states that: 94% of UAE residents dont have home
insurance - misconceptions about insurance lead to low insurance penetration rate..... [which] is
most pronounced among tenants in the country, with only 4 per cent reporting they have home
contents insurance, compared with 22 per cent of home owners. Reports in 2013 have discussed
the fact that laws and regulations are needed for the UAE insurance sector. There are a smaller
number of providers when compared to Europe and the US and there are also specialist areas of
insurance that are difficult for residents to source such as equine and pet insurance.
Household Profiles
A large number of houses have 6 or more people living in them, which is due to larger family sizes
as having extended family sharing is common, as well as the practice of having staff such as maids
and drivers living in the house, in special quarters, which are normally a separate room with its
own access. As one Dubai expat puts it: Whether its shelling out for someone to water your
garden, fold your plastic bags, or take your kids to school, having hired help is one of the big
bonuses to life in the UAE and this is certainly a view shared by many.
The most common size of household is 3 bedrooms, with the least common being the 1 bedroom
and 5+ bedroom sizes. Villas and apartments tend to be large when compared to places like
Europe. In 2012 Arabian Business report how the average size of properties in Dubai had shrunk by
half: The average size of properties purchased shrank from 533 square metres in the first half of
2011 to 294 square metres this year - a drop of 44.8 percent.
Most households are headed up by a male, with it being far less common to have a female head of
the household, and this certainly fits with the culture of the UAE where the main breadwinner of
both National and Expat households tends to be male. Gulf News reported in 2013 how the gender
gap for income is highest in the Middle Eastern and African regions, with men making US$3,000
more on average than women per year.
Couples with children are the most common family type, with single person households being
relatively uncommon in comparison, although there are a number of expat males living on
Batchelor Status Contracts. Such contracts are cheaper for companies as they do not need to pay
for travel for family members, for a bigger house or for schooling for children. The occupancy limit
rules also have an impact on the number of people allowed to share a residence. Partitioning of
homes is not allowed i.e. the practice that would allow people from different families to share
larger accommodation. In an article relating to Abu Dhabi in The National (2012) it states: Among
the new rules are that no more than six unrelated adults may live in one independent villa; no
more than three people may occupy a single bedroom in a flat, and each must have at least 14
square metres of space; and no more than two people may occupy a studio. There are no
restrictions on individual families in villas, and children under 18 and household staff are exempt.
Flats in commercial villas - legally subdivided buildings with multiple apartments - will be
considered individually. The new bylaws complete the implementation of a 2011 law prohibiting
communal living.

Gulf News reported in 2013 that the UAE ranked low for raising children abroad: HSBC Expat
Explorer Survey carried out last year, the UAE ranked in the bottom half of the raising children
abroad league tables scoring poorly for health and well-being, and social integration. Out of the
nine countries that took part in the survey, the UAE ranked fifth, while Hong Kong came first and
Kuwait last. Overall the UAE ranked 23rd out of 30, in terms of expat experience. However,
according to the HSBC report, 37 per cent of expats in the UAE were looking to leave due to family
needs. Raising children in the UAE is expensive, due mainly to the cost of school fees. The need
for expat workers to ensure their remuneration package includes school fees is the topic of
conversation for many new and long-term residents, and moans about rising fees and additional
costs are common on the local forums. Families that set up home in the UAE must accept that in
many cases the schooling costs exceed that of their home countries. The Expat Briefing (2013)
reports that In increasing numbers, expat parents in certain countries are turning to home tutors
to educate their children, and this seems to have become a popular choice for parents living in the
UAE.
The disposable income of households varies significantly. For example: the large numbers of
Indian, Pakistani and Filipinos working in low-income roles are well known for sending large
amounts of their income home to families that are often living in poor circumstances. It is not
unusual for expats from these countries, and others, to be supporting huge extended families with
the money they send back home. Gulf News 2013 says that Indian expats save 70% of their
disposable income. Contrast this with the survey by Standard Lifes Western Expatriate Wealth
Study of 2013 which states that 97% of the expats surveyed allocate part of their income to
luxurious lifestyle choices. The significant discrepancies of income between Nationals and the
high and low income expats make the UAE a country of extremes.
Data from trade sources shows that pet ownership reduced slightly, between 2005 to 2010,
although in some areas such as developments which are popular with expats, domestic pets such
as dogs and cats are very common. Many people keep exotic pets, even though the UAE has
banned the import of exotic pets, The National in 2013 points out that regulation to control
ownership of essentially wild animals is needed urgently as the new rules do not address this
problem. The ongoing problem with the keeping of exotic pets is due in part to the fact that people
often buy young animals and then they have problems caring for them when the animals are fully
grown. Gulf News ran a story in 2012, that has now become a relatively common occurrence:
Confused cheetahs traipsing through the streets of Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. A tiger cub poking its
head out of a 4x4s front passenger window. That back-seat lion on a leash that did the rounds on
Facebook recently. And lest we forget, the python found nestled between the cinema seats a few
years ago. Sometimes it seems as if the UAE has more wildlife roaming around its neighbourhoods
than an African savannah. News stories like this are often met with shrugs by expats, as many
people that have lived in the area for a while have seen similar things, and no one really expects
change to happen quickly. Aside from this fascination with owning exotic pets, standard domestic
pet ownership is very popular amongst the expats, with dog walking a common sight around the
popular developments, particularly in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. In many cases, it is the
housemaid that is sent to walk the dog often in the early morning or late evening to avoid the
scorching pavements of the summer. There are a number of overworked welfare organisations
trying to re-home dumped cats and dogs and in recent years there has been an increase in the
number of pet sitting, boarding, training, and grooming services, particularly for dogs and cats.
Cultural differences mean that for some, animals such as dogs are traditionally only kept as
working animals not as household pets, and so this means that expats must be aware of the
cultural sensitivities when walking their animals and the reality is that there are few places where
it is either permitted, or advisable, to walk the dog off the leash. This is why there has been an
increase over recent years of the number of specialised dog parks. Services such as pet relocation
are still big business in the UAE with such a large expat community there is always going to be a
need to assist expats with their pets travel needs, especially as some wealthy expats choose to
take their dogs on vacation with them.

Although not strictly classed as pets in the traditional sense, horse ownership for sport and leisure
is also popular with a cross section of residents, enough to support a busy equine transport
industry. All horses, whether competing endurance, dressage, show jumping or racing will be likely
to travel either for overseas competition, when their owners relocate and wish to take the animal
with them, or when bringing a newly purchased horse from overseas. Reuters in 2012 reports that
As the oil-rich Gulf economies boom, the hobbies of its wealthy local populations tend to become
big business - and nowhere is that more true than for horses, a traditional passion of the region's
Bedouin tribes. Dubai, with its large tourist sector and web of international transport links, has
emerged as the focus of the horse business in the region..... ...the economics of the horse
business in the Gulf are difficult. In contrast to Europe, the desert terrain means the roughly 7,000
horses in the UAE have little chance to graze, pushing up owner costs. Hay is imported from as far
away as Canada along with feed, tack and other products.
Pampered people pamper their pets
The attitude of residents that can afford it, is to provide as luxurious a lifestyle for their pets as
they have for themselves and once they have finished adorning themselves with bling, their pets
are not far behind. Unsurprisingly, one UAE expat blogger has photos of cats with glitter polish on
their claws as her homepage. Cleary, the spending on pets now extends far beyond providing
simple food and shelter, with no shortage of services normally aimed at human clients, such as spa
days, sitting services and luxury food brands. Organic pet foods, vitamins and personal grooming
are all now available to pet owners who want, and expect, the same standards for their pets as
they expect for themselves. Gulf News reports in 2013 on the lavish world of pampered pets:
While the jury is still out on whether diamond necklaces and taffeta tutus make our pets feel
better, there is no denying that grooming, specially formulated foods and socialising go a long way
to making a companion animal feel secure, happier and healthier. Many owners here pamper their
pets because they're rescued from the streets and they want to make up for their past hardships.
Running Costs
Gulf News in 2014 reports that expats in the UAE will see higher utility costs, but these increased
costs will not be applied to Emirati citizens. The increase will apply to commercial, industrial and
governmental sectors. It is reported that the changes are as part of a plan to reduce water and
power waste: In the UAE, the average individual consumption of electricity is 20-30 kWh, in
contrast to seven-15 kWh internationally. Meanwhile, the average individual consumption of water
internationally is 170-300 litres a day, compared to an average of 550 litres per day in the UAE. In
the same article it points out that the Federal Electricity and Water Authority (FEWA) wishes to
establish students and housewives ...as the cornerstone for conservation awareness in the home.
This is an interesting tactic as traditionally there have been problems with take up of green
initiatives. Questions over whether diligently collected recycling is actually recycled and problems
with the take-up of sustainable initiatives have led to much press coverage. The government is
however taking the challenge very seriously of late, with major steps being taken towards
improving the problem of its high ecological and energy consumption footprint. The main problem
is the consumption of energy and the reliance on desalinated water, (due to obtaining drinking
water using this method).
The UAE Ecological Footprint Initiative (2010) reports that a 57% contribution to the ecological
footprint comes from households and 30% from business and industry, with the remainder coming
from government, and initiatives relating directly to the built environment, which take account of
the efficiency of homes and offices, through a reduced energy demand which will also reduce costs
for consumers, which is something that could certainly improve the chance of adoption of the
initiatives. Gulf Today reports in 2014 how technologies like smart-metering which monitors
consumption of electricity in real time, ....is one important strategy for mitigating energy demand
and reducing the environmental impact of the urban landscape.
The National reported in 2011 how residents were angry about higher utility bills: When Bronwyn
Byrnes and her family moved into a three-bedroom villa with maid's quarters a few months ago,
the water and electricity bill was about Dh1,500, but it has now more than doubled. This is not an

isolated case, and many expats complained about the hike. This period was followed by reports
which suggested that residents were using less electricity due to the rising costs.
There are major differences between the cultures in the UAE and the importance that people place
on sustainability. The expats come from countries with different methods and ways of approaching
green issues and with a variety of motivations and ideas and this influences the way they engage
with environmental issues in an adopted country, especially one that they are unlikely to stay in
long term. Taking a short term view to living somewhere impacts on the degree to which people
will adapt their lifestyle for long term gains, especially as they are unlikely to reap the benefit
themselves. Therefore, the initiatives that target education in order to create a new population of
informed residents on the subject of green issues, is a sensible tactic and one which is gaining
momentum. The adult expats are perhaps too jaded and full of questions about where the
recycling actually gets taken to and what happens to it and this damages the take up of initiatives.
Extoling the virtues of sustainability to children can pay dividends, and can help send a message to
parents. For example: the Eco-Schools Climate Initiative, the Sustainable Schools Initiative and the
Go-Green training project for UAE teachers are just a few of the initiatives that aim to harbour a
sustainable culture in school age children and those associated with them, such as parents, staff
and educators. In practical terms, residents may eventually be forced to adopt energy
consumption methods to offset the rising costs, but the speed with which this will happen enough
to make a real difference remains unclear.
One way to reduce household running costs is to partake in DIY, but it is not a big pastime in the
UAE, probably because the costs of maintenance labour are relatively cheap, and residents who
can afford to are more likely to employ a company to undertake work than try and do it
themselves. For example: Mplus+ who provide contracts for homes in Dubai and Abu Dhabi,
charge AED250 per month for their top package, which includes unlimited annual emergency
callouts, annual electrical and plumbing maintenance, spare parts and manpower. The lack of
inclination to undertake DIY is perhaps why there are relatively few DIY stores in the UAE. The
problem with getting maintenance companies and labour is not finding one, but actually finding
ones with skilled teams. For those renting homes, it is the obligation of the landlord to undertake
maintenance, and for most landlords this will mean providing a contractor or maintenance
contract, rather than doing the work themselves. For those residents who own homes, they are
more likely to partake in some DIY, but in general people call in a contractor and pay for the
service. Another issue is the fact that some of the small stores that do provide the hardware and
bits and pieces needed to undertake work at home, are located outside of malls in areas of small
shops and although the shops may have been trading for many years, they do not have websites
or actively list themselves on the internet, making the issue of finding them really quite tricky.
Seeking out personal recommendations via colleagues, friends and forums, as opposed to
undertaking internet searches is still a good way of finding things in the UAE, meaning that many
stores remain hidden to those that do not walk the streets. A quick search of the Forums on some
of the Expat sites such as Expatwoman and Expatforum can yield recommendations for a variety of
services that could otherwise be difficult to source, and unlike other countries where most
businesses have a website, this is not the norm for smaller businesses in the UAE.
An issue with some properties in the UAE, whether apartment or villa, residential or commercial, is
the fact that during the boom they were bought by investors and were not lived in or rented out
and have therefore been vacant and in some cases, not maintained, for years. For example: in
2010 Bloomberg reported how Some Dubai office buildings are so ill-conceived and poorly located
that they will never be occupied, while others may command no more than the cost of
maintenance, according to CB Richard Ellis Group. Business Insider reported in 2011 that 40% of
buildings were vacant, but that another 48,000 homes were due for completion, whilst
Construction Week in 2012 reported how 40 vacant buildings had been demolished in Dubai and a
further 368 were being looked at. A more recent article in Arabian Industry in 2014 reports how the
Dubai Municipality are demolishing empty buildings at the owners cost in an effort to improve
safety and cleanliness in the city. The problem with these vacant buildings, is that they are not
maintained and in the case of residential villas, for example, it is not unusual to see a vacant

property surrounded by a dead garden, collapsed palm trees and dead grass on an otherwise wellkept street.
For those people choosing to live in community developments and apartments, there are
community rules governing how property should be maintained, which aims to ensure that such
areas are kept clean and tidy. The requirement to pay community service fees to the developer
also ensure that money is available to keep community public areas maintained. This means that
there is a requirement and a need for residents to maintain certain standards, but the fact that a
daily visiting gardener can be employed for AED200 a month means that most people with
disposable income would equate that to good value and pay someone else stand in the summer
heat and water the garden.
Increasing energy costs will force consumers to reassess their consumption habits
Using smart-metering technology is identified as one method to monitor energy consumption in
real time. Couple this with the current trend to design Apps and wearable technology which allow
users to monitor themselves on their mobile devices, and enabling the user to monitor energy
consumption, as well as enabling the energy provider to do so, is considered useful. An article by
Gigaom (2013) discusses a start-up company designing an App that will allow office workers to
control personalised comfort zones in their office building, which in turn allows the software to
collect data for the whole building to allow analysis to identify areas of wastage. This idea for
controllability, when linked to real time energy usage measurements allows users to be better
informed of how their energy decisions impact on their energy bills. The provision of real time
information is key to helping people make more informed choices.
Table 2 Housing and Households Data 2000, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015

Total number of
households ('000)
- Urban ('000)
- Rural ('000)
Households by
tenure
- Home owner ('000)
-- Home owner
without
mortgage ('000)
-- Home owner with
mortgage ('000)
- Rented ('000)
Households by type
of
dwelling
- House ('000)
-- Detached ('000)
-- Semi-detached
and
terraced ('000)

2000

2005

2010

2011

2012

2015

509

661

1,608

1,635

1,662

1,739

417
92

555
106

1,380
227

1,408
228

1,434
228

1,506
232

218

297

759

778

796

854

211

284

679

688

696

723

13

80

89

99

131

257

324

753

762

770

786

192
174

243
213

575
491

582
496

589
500

607
512

18

30

83

86

89

95

- Apartment ('000)
- Other ('000)
Households by
number of
persons
- 1 ('000)
- 2 ('000)
- 3 ('000)
- 4 ('000)
- 5 ('000)
- 6+ ('000)
Households by
number of
rooms
- 1 ('000)
- 2 ('000)
- 3 ('000)
- 4 ('000)
- 5+ ('000)
Households by sex of
head of household
- Male ('000)
- Female ('000)
Households by type
- Single person
('000)
- Couple without
children ('000)
- Couple with
children
('000)
- Single-parent
family
('000)
- Other ('000)
House price index
(2010
= 100)
Pet population

2000
268
48

2005
376
42

2010
967
66

2011
993
60

2012
1,018
55

2015
1,088
44

23
44
58
88
90
207

29
53
60
95
104
319

67
121
115
188
224
893

67
121
113
186
224
924

68
122
111
184
224
953

69
124
110
184
227
1,025

59
154
165
77
54

73
188
206
111
83

173
432
487
289
226

175
436
493
297
234

177
440
499
304
242

183
450
517
326
263

450
58

576
85

1,441
167

1,461
174

1,481
181

1,532
207

23
62

29
84

67
213

67
218

68
223

69
238

266

341

819

831

843

876

31

42

108

111

114

121

127

165

401

408

415

434

100.0

94.8

106.9

n/a

0.6

0.6

0.3

0.3

0.3

0.3

(animals
per household)
Ownership of
household
durables by type
- Dishwasher (% of
households)
- Freezer (% of
households)
- Microwave oven (%
of
households)
- Refrigerator (% of
households)
- Telephone (% of
households)
- Tumble drier (% of
households)
- Vacuum cleaner (%
of
households)
- Washing machine
(% of
households)
Average household
expenditure on
running
costs
- Maintenance and
repair of dwellings
(AED per household,
at
constant prices)
- Water and
miscellaneous
domestic
services (AED per
household, at

2000

2005

2010

2011

2012

2015

15.8

20.7

27.0

28.3

29.5

32.4

38.7

43.8

46.4

46.8

47.1

47.8

70.0

86.0

91.9

92.6

93.1

94.2

99.7

99.9

99.9

99.9

99.9

99.9

82.2

69.3

46.0

48.0

50.0

45.3

12.0

20.0

25.5

26.4

27.1

29.1

96.0

98.0

98.9

98.9

99.0

99.2

98.4

99.1

99.5

99.5

99.6

99.7

18,700 21,367 10,070 10,426 10,831 11,982

.9
.1
.8
.4
.4
.1

2,675.
9

4,172.
0

2,369.
8

2,471.
8

2,596.
3

2,976.
4

2000

2005

2010

2011

2012

2015

16,131 17,047 7,592.

.9
.1
6

7,835.
1

8,099.
4

8,813.
2

2,266.
9

862.8

877.3

901.3

6,145.
9

6,330.
5

6,788.
6

constant
prices)
- Electricity, gas and
other fuels (AED per
household, at
constant
prices)
- Hardware and DIY
goods (AED per
household, at
constant
prices)
- Household and
domestic services
(AED
per household, at
constant prices)

2,098.
0

845.4

12,565 13,461 5,967.

.4
.2
1

Source: National statistics, Euromonitor International

Chart 2 Number of Households by Disposable Income Bracket 2005, 2010, 2015

Source: Euromonitor International

MONEY AND SAVINGS

Attitudes Toward Payment Methods
All types of financial cards in circulation have doubled between 2005 and 2010 and in line with this
the transactions with these cards have also increased, and, as expected, the cash transactions
reduced during the same period. Cash transactions have slowly edged upwards since 2010, along
with all other spending, despite the favouring of credit cards.
Arabian Business pointed out in 2013 that UAE residents are still struggling with credit card debt:
More than a third of UAE respondents to a new survey have more than three credit cards, while
half have nearly maxed out their limits and 42 percent dont pay more than the minimum
repayment each month, highlighting the growing debt problem in the country. Stories of debt are
common, and those that have spent beyond their means can find themselves using almost their
entire monthly salary to service their debt, and they can also find themselves in jail if the situation
worsens. Horror stories of racking up debt on cards were a common theme post-2008, but they
have now been replaced with more optimism and to a degree the lessons of 2008 are still fresh in
the minds of many. The UAE country manager for MasterCard, said in 2013 that:
The United Arab Emirates is indeed progressing at a brisk pace on its cashless journey, which has
received a tremendous boost with the implementation of key Government initiatives like the Wage
Protection System (WPS) that has vastly increased access to electronic payment methods over a

short period of time. These changes suggest that the countrys cashless journey is well underway
and gaining momentum.
A 2013 study of 5,000 wealthy credit card holders in the UAE revealed ... credit cards as the
favoured method of payment for big spenders in the Emirates. And half of those surveyed regularly
shop online with their cards, spending an average Dh2,749 a month.
Payments made via website payment systems are relatively common, and it is possible to pay for
traffic fines with Dubai Police, to pay for Salik (road toll) top ups, and mobile phone bills with a
credit card. For some payments, the card must be registered in the UAE. In some ways, the credit
card suits the convenience that people like, but despite this apparent ease of paying with credit
cards, there are some areas which lag behind. A report in Gulf Business in 2013 explains how UAE
fuel stations, who suspended card payments in 2007, will resume with a 2AED charge for card
payments. ...card payment services at fuel stations in Dubai and the Northern Emirates were
suspended following a subcharges disagreement between the participating banks and companies.
As a result of this, cash and fuel cards were the common payment method at fuel stations until
very recently, and for many people the habit of paying for fuel with cash will be a hard habit to
break.
The Gulf News reported in 2013 how Emirates ID would be including e-wallets in the ID cards 2015.
UAE residents may be able to make payments using their national ID cards by 2015. About Dh51
million worth of payments or purchases made by UAE residents in 2015 will be through an e-wallet
initiative by the UAE Central Bank. This clearly highlights the growing interest in utilising
technology in transactions and the steady move away from cash payments.
Mobile phone payments are also becoming more common with many services being available,
such as virtual parking permits, utility bill payment and Metro travel. According to Emirates 24/7 in
2013, The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) on Sunday announced its partnership with Etisalat
and is due to launch its first Smart No l service for Dubai commuters using public transport.
The National reported in 2013 how the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, announced a new project
called mgovernment which follows the egovernment initiative. The aim of mgovernment, he
said, was to provide information to people at anytime and anywhere. He noted that the UAE had
the best telecommunications infrastructure in the world, with about 14 million active mobile
phones - an average of two per person. "Today we want to move government information and
service centres to every phone and every mobile device in the hands of users, which will allow
them to place their government request from their phone wherever they are and without waiting,"
he said. This demonstrates the commitment of the UAE to mobile technology and it is therefore
clear that using electronic payments systems such as those which use smartphones will become
more and more common, and the thrust for this comes from the highest levels, which means it will
happen and probably very soon.
In contrast to the spending within the country, is the reliance on electronic transfer services
allowing residents to send money to people in other countries. The many expats that send money
home to relatives in other countries use a variety of transfer methods and The National reported in
2013 how international cash transfers are big business: The UAE, with its large expat population,
is also fast becoming a world-class conduit for international cash transfers. In terms of
remittances the UAE is the third-largest country in HSBC Group behind Hong Kong and the UK,
where it is our biggest business, says Gifford Nakajima, HSBCs regional head of wealth
development............. the boom in remittances has led companies to target the UAE as a base for
international cash transfers, with new concepts opening up to expats.
Savings
Annual savings have increased since 2005, whilst the savings ratio (as a % of disposable income)
has reduced from 2005 and is predicted to reduce further by 2015, this is due to rising costs that
have made saving even more difficult.
The unbanked or generally low paid workers are more likely to be sending most of their wages
home to support their families, rather than actually saving, but a report in The National in 2013
demonstrates that higher earners could learn from the practices of the lower paid: The study

showed low income earners were generally putting more of their money aside, with more than one
in four saying they were saving less than 10 per cent of their personal income, with a further half
saving between 11 and 30 per cent of their personal income. In comparison, a third of all income
groups said they were saving less than 10 per cent of their personal income, with a fifth saving
between 11 and 30 per cent of their personal income.
7-Days reported in 2013 on a survey of the saving habits of UAE residents: ...those with modest
salaries are the best at putting aside some of their earnings.....the annual savings index compiled
by National Bonds Corporation this year studied the savings behaviour of more than 200 workers
classified as low-income - with monthly earnings of less than Dhs3,500......31 per cent manage to
put something aside at least once every three months....22 per cent said they managed to save at
least 10 to 20 per cent of their monthly income.
A 2013 study of nearly 5,000 wealthy credit card holders in the UAE revealed that Seven in ten of
those polled save an average Dh8,805 a month to ensure they have enough ready cash for those
discretionary spends.
A problem that many in the UAE have experienced is what The Xpress, in 2013 referred to as the
upgrade culture. In a country where people from different cultures, backgrounds and means are
thrown together in the same social and business situations it is easy to start thinking that you can
keep up with the wealthy. Expats are heard to say fake it, until you make it and this wish, or
need, to have the same lifestyle as the wealthy is what gets people into to debt and wastes their
tax-free opportunity to save. If you earn 20,000AED per month and have no money left in your
account by month end, you are likely to retire from the UAE no better off than a tea boy. Yes this is
the sad truth for thousands of expats who come here with dreams of making big money, only to
end up broke with hardly any savings to write home about, after years spent on living the high life
or lured by shopping festivals and discount offers. Those who succumb to the temptation to
upgrade to a nicer car, a bigger villa, pricier signature items are in effect trading their present
for a bad future, experts say. Take the case of one consumer, a European working in Dubai for
seven years. The 42-year-old has no children, but has racked up a combined debt of AED210,000
on five credit cards, and has a AED90,000 car loan. His rent, food and bills take up most of his
AED24,000 paycheque, with nothing left at the end of the month. The savvy expats will come and
work in the UAE, live modestly, save, pay off their mortgage at home and then leave with
something to show for their efforts, but these typeS of expats are fairly rare in the UAE and
particularly Dubai which is famous the world over for its love of luxury and spending.
Loans and Mortgages
Consumer credit has increased from 2000 and this is set to continue, according to predicted figures
for 2015. The sharp increase for mortgages and housing from 2005 to 2010, and the steady
increase thereafter, does demonstrate that people are taking on mortgages in the country, despite
the large cash deposits needed. Even though Bloomberg reported in 2013 how Cash buyers have
dominated Dubais property market since the emirate first allowed foreigners to own property in
2002.
The National commented in 2013 on the subject of personal lending and the fact that it was
increasing. It is common for people to buy cars with personal loans, and despite people living
beyond their means and burning their fingers in 2008, there is still a huge demand for luxury cars
and many opt for loans to pay for them. With Zawya reporting in 2013 that UAE banks are offering
0% auto loans, it is hard to resist a new car, especially when low to middle income families are
surrounded by such wealth. Subtle peer pressure is significant for many expats. Gulf News in 2013
highlighted the fact that personal loans are used to support lifestyles and pay debts: In the UAE,
people tend to use a personal loan to cover expenses, [buy luxury goods that they cant afford] or
to pay their debts, said Preeti Bhambri, managing director and founder of Moneycamel.com.
In 2013 the central bank confirmed the mortgage cap rules in an effort to cool down property
prices. The new rules will restrict home loans to expatriates to 75% of a propertys value for a first
investment of less than Dh5 million. Home loans to UAE nationals will be restricted to 80% of a
propertys value for homes worth less than Dh5 million. Banks have also been told not to lend

customers more than 50% of their monthly incomes and the bank has set limits of eight years
annual income for UAE nationals and up to seven years annual income for expatriates.
The difficulty of saving when spending is so easy
One Dubai expat blogger highlights the problem of saving for UAE expats: Its no secret that nine
out of 10 expats in the UAE dont tend to save enough money for the future. Its something many
people know they should do but never prioritise enough to actually start doing. Theres already
been a great response to UAE Saves Week, which kicked off yesterday with Save your salary
Sunday. The brainchild of Nima Abu Wardeh, founder of financial platform Cashy, UAE Saves Week
is a week of events and activities designed to get UAE residents to start saving.
Table 3 Money and Savings Data 2000, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015

Financial cards in
circulation
- ATM cards (mn cards)
- Debit cards (mn cards)
- Credit cards (mn cards)
- Charge cards (mn
cards)
Financial cards'
transactions
- ATM cards (AED mn, at
constant prices)
- Debit cards (AED mn,
at constant prices)
- Credit cards (AED mn,
at constant prices)
- Charge cards (AED mn,
at constant prices)
Cash transactions (AED
mn, at constant prices)
Other paper
transactions (AED mn,
at constant prices)
Annual savings (AED mn,
at constant prices)
Savings ratio (% of

2000

2005

2010

2011

2012

2015

1.0
0.9
0.6

2.1
2.0
1.3

4.6
4.6
3.0

5.1
5.1
3.2

5.6
5.6
3.5

7.5
7.4
4.6

0.0

0.1

0.3

0.3

0.4

0.5

7,414

23,43
7

40,29
7

41,28
9

42,50
0

48,45
5

1,884

3,152

4,794

5,094

5,447

6,881

15,63
0

36,20
5

38,29
9

38,74
1

39,41
1

45,91
7

154

1,255

1,579

1,701

1,817

2,283

234,3
00

287,2
96

227,2
41

233,9
10

241,1
61

265,8
32

11,13
6

43,36
3

47,70
8

49,91
1

52,15
3

59,00
2

55,82
0

100,3
54

109,6
20

114,8
71

119,4
96

134,3
75

12.8

15.5

14.8

14.7

14.6

14.3

2000

2005

2010

2011

2012

2015

41,97
3

81,85
6

138,7
26

142,8
09

147,9
38

171,4
31

16,55
6

25,26
8

133,7
42

136,9
82

141,0
02

160,0
12

disposable income)
Consumer lending
- Consumer credit
(outstanding balance,
AED mn)
- Mortgages/housing
(outstanding balance,
AED mn)

Source: National statistics, Euromonitor International

Chart 3 Consumer Lending Compared with Savings and Savings Ratio 2000-2015

Source: Euromonitor International

EATING AND DRINKING

Eating Habits
In recent years, as elsewhere in the world, there has been a marked increase in the availability of
organic and local products, with hypermarkets and supermarkets having a variety of local and
overseas organic products, often in special labelled sections, and organic products being sold
through regular events and through small stores and box delivery schemes. The organic products
come from both local specialist farms and, in the case of the large supermarkets, from overseas.
Gulf News reported in 2013 that the number of organic farms in the country had reached 39 (an
increase from 218 hectares in 2007 to 3,920 hectares). This significant increase has come about to
feed the local demand.
In 2010 Arabian Business reported of an Organic Revolution: "organic" has become a buzzword for
the region's restaurateurs and the organic market is experiencing fast growth and greater
exposure. An increase in demand, better understanding within the industry and tireless work from
the region's organic suppliers and importers over the past few years have opened up the region's
F&B outlets to organic ingredients. In cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with their higher expat
populations, the increase has been greatest and has fuelled a number of new ventures aimed
directly at supplying organic products. One organic fruit and vegetable company offers box
deliveries, with one option specifically designed with mothers in mind. The Toddlers Box is
specifically packed with items for making pureed food for toddlers at home. Another company
offers Bachelor Boxes aimed at husbands that stay in the country in the summer when their wife
and children leave. It is now possible to buy organic meat from specialist butchers, organic coffee
roasted in the UAE and organic cosmetics. For many years an organic specialist supermarket in
Dubai was popular amongst the well-heeled, and offered products from Europe and elsewhere that
were generally not available in other stores, but in recent years there have been a number of
newcomers offering a whole variety of homemade, locally sourced and organic products that have
been very well received.
It is not just the expats that are keen on organic food either, The National reported in 2013 how the
Emiratis were also demanding products: To date, 28 Emirati farms have been certified as organic
by the Emirates Authority for Standardization & Metrology under the Ministry of Environment and
Water. Although this is just a fraction of the more than 35,000 farms across the country, many
more are in the process of, or considering, the switch to organic farming. This is a direct result of

the increase in the demand for organic foods by Emirati consumers, which stems from their belief
in the taste and environmental and health benefits of such products.
Most areas of the UAE have fast food available and the Malls are bursting with options. The
Kippreport asked in 2012 Is the UAE a Fast Food Nation on Steroids? Once dominated by the US,
the GCC is getting a reputation in the fast food industry for developing disturbingly unusual
creations. For some nationalities it is about feeding their craving for a taste of home, so the British
head to Fish and Chip shops, and the Lebanese head to Lebanese chains and so on. It seems that
with the vast array of nationalities, and their associated celebrations and feasts, the UAE aims to
cater to all needs. With the huge choice of fast food options available, it has presented problems
for the health of the residents. In 2013 The National reported how school canteens would be
banning junk from the menu and that the UAE would be putting closer controls of fast-food
advertising in an effort to battle the obesity problem. The Dubai Diet campaign called Your weight
in gold, run by the Government during Ramadan of 2013 offered to pay a gram of gold for every
kg lost above a 2 kg limit, which demonstrates how serious the problem of obesity is.
Home delivery of fast food is big business in urban areas. Often delivered at a terrifyingly rapid
speed by moped, motorbike or car, the busy residential areas have a wide range of options
available for home delivery, with everything from Lebanese food to Fish and Chips, pizza, burgers,
or salads being available. It is not unusual to see delivery drivers in elevators, carrying bags full of
lunch ordered by busy workers. The UAE loves its fast food and home delivery is expected, with
companies in some areas even offering home catering, home cooked meals delivered for
entertaining or normal family eating, or chefs that come to the house to prepare dinner parties.
Eating and socialising go hand in hand for all residents of the UAE, and entertaining at home is
popular in a country where many people have the space to do it and the money to pay for help to
do it. Aside from the summer when it is too hot to be outside, the weather at other times of year is
good for eating in the garden and cooking outdoors. It is possible to get a Shwarma Man to come
and carve and serve fresh offerings for party guests, and it is even possible to fill the swimming
pool with ice delivering by truck, to cool it on hot summer days. Those people that live outside the
busy residential areas have fewer options for delivery, but eating outside is a regular and popular
option for many people regardless of nationality or location.
Pre-packed meals are not so common in the UAE due mainly to the fact that families traditionally
cook food at home, (or have their staff do it), so tend not to have pre-packed ready meals as a
normal part of their diet. It is reasonably common for housemaids to be required to do some
cooking, and those maids that cook well are certainly valuable to their employers. Although the socalled Diets on the go are all the rage for those that can afford it. Consumers can order
nutritionally balanced and calorie controlled meals, although these meals can be expensive, at up
to Dh3,000 per head per month.
In addition to entertaining at home, a popular activity for Nationals and Expats alike is eating out in
the desert, either as part of a camp or as part of activities like desert dune bashing. It is a common
sight when driving along roads that cross desert areas to see campfires at sunset and see people
barbequing in the open. The National explained about Majlis in an article in 2012: Winter camps,
also known as areesh or ezbah in the Emirati dialect, are usually set up for three to four months at
a time as an informal outdoor majlis. They consist of one or more tents surrounded by a tall palm
frond or tarp fence for privacy. The camps vary in amenities. Although many are no more than a
tent and a campfire, some have power, running water, fully equipped toilets and satellite
television. Here, Emirati families entertain family by day and guests by night. The camps were
once set up in secluded areas far from the city, but over the years they have moved closer to the
suburbs.
The UAE has an incredible array of different dining options for all budgets, and this is testament to
the multicultural population. Eating out can be done cheaply, but for many it is an expensive
option and with Expats loving a bargain, coupon books like the well-known Entertainer series of
books, offer those wishing to eat out a variety of discounts for many of the eateries. It is common
to see a table of well-dressed expats thrust a pile of coupons into the hand of a waitress when the
bill comes. One expat blogger sums it up: How many of us Mommy's have a copy of the

Entertainer at home? LOT'S right? Awesome news! They have now officially launched a mobile-app!
For those of you who are asking yourself, what is the Entertainer? It is a booked filled with
vouchers (buy one get one free type of coupons). So now instead of lugging the book around and
planning your outings based on the coupons you already have in your purse, you can leave your
book at home and check and redeem via your smartphone. Despite the wealth in the UAE, people
still love a bargain.
Due to the diverse range of nationalities in the UAE, it means there are an equally diverse range of
snacks, and whether it is dates, potato chips, popcorn, spicy nuts, muffins, chocolate or gum there
is no shortage of places to buy things to eat. The only limit is what can be transported in from
other countries, or supplied locally, and whilst it is common for some products to go out of stock
occasionally due to demand or poor stock control, gone are the days when it is difficult to obtain
specific items.
Consumers want locally resourced food
As with other countries there has been in recent years an increase in the number of food, craft and
specialist markets selling locally produced products. The fact that they are new has meant that the
take-up has been slow at first, but popularity has grown, especially as word-of mouth
recommendations are so powerful particularly in the major cities. Many expats like to attend such
events, due to the fact that they are common in many of their home countries. Despite living in a
desert, there are several ways to eat organically in the UAE and support local agriculture at the
same time. The UAE government has been diligent in their promotion of local organic farms. ....As
one Dubai blogger noted: Ive also broadened my definition of local to produce grown in the
region, if not in the UAE. Whether or not the reasoning is sound, I believe a shorter plane ride must
have less of a negative impact on the environment. On the same shopping trip, I picked up some
small artichokes grown in Egypt. Lebanon, Iran and the Indian sub-continent are other close
neighbors that continually supply produce to the UAE.
One commentator refers to the baby steps taken with the farmers markets springing up and how
one cannot expect too much to start with: baby steps towards educating the community and
sourcing high quality local produce in what is essentially a desert. Educating the community comes
first, and the resulting demand fuels the movement for more local produce. What we get in Dubai
may not be as diverse as what you get in other countries obviously, we are in a desert and our
supermarkets fool us into believing otherwise with their lush stacks of imported ingredients. But
when you learn to cook with what is locally available and in season, you start focusing less on what
you dont have and more on the quality and preparation techniques of what you do.
Ice cream in the desert
Expats like a taste of home and a local success story has been the ice cream vans in Dubai
according to Arabian Business, 2013, an entrepreneur saw a gap in the market and set about
bringing the traditional ice cream delivery vans to the streets of Dubai. Most UK nationals are
familiar with the ice cream van playing music as it roams the streets, especially during the holidays
when kids are out playing, but it was previously unheard of in Dubai. Consumers enjoy this little
taste of home and will run out and buy their favourite ice cream.
Drinking Habits
Alcoholic beverages in the UAE are controlled differently depending on the Emirate. For Muslims,
the consuming of alcohol is strictly not allowed, but for non-Muslims it is possible in
some Emirates (such as Dubai) that are not dry to purchase alcohol either with a licence from
alcohol shops, or from specialist shops in Emirates which do not require consumers to have a
licence (such as Umm Al Quwain). Non-Muslims may consume alcohol in licenced hotels, bars and
restaurants, or for those with a licence they may consume it at home. Alcohol may also be
purchased when flying into and out of international airports. But in order to address cultural
sensitivities, wine and beer are referred to on the radio and in local adverts as Grape and Grain
beverages. Supermarkets and stores, other than specific alcohol shops cannot sell alcoholic
products at all, with things like wine vinegar and wine gums being labelled as alcoholic too.

As a result of the cost of alcohol, some Dubai expats (for example) choose to travel to
other Emirates to purchase it more cheaply (it is taxed in Dubai). The booze runs are well known
and queues of expats can be seen at the well-known booze shops, especially on a Friday. Alcohol is
expensive due to the tax, and the cost of a meal out can be significantly bumped up if everyone at
the table is drinking.
The rather surprising fact is that in a country that has well known sensitivities and restrictions to
the consumption of alcohol and zero tolerance of alcohol when driving, that the boozy brunches in
Dubai should be so well known locally and nationally. Stories abound of boozed up expats quaffing
champagne and the all you can eat and drink brunches are commonplace at most hotels every
Friday in Dubai and Abu Dhabi (at the weekend) proving to be big business for hotels, so much so
that the traditional brunch that began as a Friday lunch/ afternoon affair now extends to evening
brunches and Saturday brunches. The Huffington Post spoke in 2013 of Dubais Outlandish Brunch
Culture. Friday officially starts the weekend -- has become a serious social and culinary
institution. Locals and visitors alike indulge in their Champagne wishes and caviar dreams, and
every eatery in the desert wonderland is committed to staging a foodie undertaking that will stand
up to its closest rival.
Many expats keep a stock of alcohol at their home, which is legal to do only with a valid licence,
and as home entertaining is common, people tend to bring a bottle when invited for a social
occasion. Time Out Dubai gave readers a few pointers on hosting dinner parties in 2013 and
included the important things to remember about inviting guests of other nationalities: Other
ways that you can ensure your guests are comfortable include, for Arabic guests, checking in
advance whether an all-female environment (including any waiting staff) would be more
appropriate, and for Indian guests, checking if any guests are vegetarian, or Jain (which requires
strict dietary observances, such as no tubers). Also, if unsure, leave some meats off the menu
entirely, including beef to be safe.
Despite the economic downturn, the popular bars and clubs remained busy with residents and
tourists, and whilst some venues are now quieter than previously this may not be due to belttightening and the cost of alcohol, but due instead to the fact that with so many venue options in
places like Dubai that there are just not enough residents and tourists to fill them all, and only the
best will survive.
Bottled water is heavily used due to the fact that the tap water is from a desalinated supply. It is
potable, but doesnt taste very nice and so most people have a water cooler in their home and
office. There are many bottled water suppliers with some selling filtered water, and others selling
mineral water. For example: Masafi water comes from the Masafi mountains and is local to the
UAE. The National reported in 2012 how residents were angry at the cost of bottled water.
Restaurants that refuse to sell local bottled water are to be listed on a website that offers diners a
chance to fight back against exorbitantly priced imports. The website, idrinklocal.com, has been
set up by Jae Hwang and William Shintani, two brand consultants in Dubai. The aim, they say, is to
help consumers avoid paying more than they need to.
Fizzy canned drinks, fresh juices, smoothies, and Mocktails are popular. Still and fizzy grape juice
and non-alcoholic beer are also sold, to ensure that those people that do not drink, have plenty of
options. Fresh fruit and vegetable juices have become popular of late, with some gyms now having
juice bars offering healthy juice drinks and protein drinks for those working out.
Coffee shops that offer something extra
Coffee drinking is a national pastime for residents, and there are numerous coffee chains to meet
the need. Although the coffee shops are mostly well known chains, lately there have been a few
newcomers that are individual shops, some offering their own roasted blend and some offering
organic coffee which ties in with the push for organic options. New coffee shops that offer
something different from the standard chains are well received by all residents, because
consumers just want to see something fresh that offers a new experience rather than the standard
repetitive offering. Cafes that are far removed from the standard chains offer customers something
extra one caf in Dubai for example called Book Munch is a cross between a bookshop, library

and caf and encourages writers through workshops and events. Others combine the co-working
space idea to encourage would be entrepreneurs and start-ups.
Coconut water and camel milk offer something different
In a country where a significant proportion of the population do not consume alcohol, alternatives
are well received. Hospitality Middle East Gulfood Awards 2013 awarded a coconut water
manufacturer the best new non-alcoholic beverage award: Tracey Hogarth, operations director for
GoCoCo, said: ....more and more consumers are looking for something healthier and its perfect for
those looking for an alternative to the carbonated, sugar-loaded soft drinks currently dominating
the market. Another brand that has been surprisingly successful is Camelicious camel milk, which
is now being shipped from the UAE to Europe. Mocktails are also popular choices and provide a
very necessary alternative to the usual soft drink offerings.
Table 4 Eating and Drinking Data 2000, 2005, 2010, 2011,2012, 2015

Consumer Expenditure
(AED Mn, in Constant
Prices)

2000

2005

2010

2011

2012

2015

Food

359,6
85

530,3
20

608,0
23

640,2
76

675,3
86

778,3
46

10,78
7
17,48
4
6,414
10,47
0
2,596

12,43
1
19,57
7
7,358
11,34
7
2,666

13,01
8
20,47
7
7,700
11,84
5
2,781

13,67
0
21,38
3
8,081
12,36
8
2,892

8,772
10,25
4
4,808
2,108

9,190
10,68
5
5,028
2,203

9,665
11,10
2
5,263
2,306

15,52
3
23,79
5
9,156
13,78
7
3,183
11,02
4
12,16
1
5,906
2,588

- Bread and cereals

- Meat
- Fish and seafood

7,254
12,24
9
4,344

- Milk, cheese and eggs

- Oils and fats

7,732
2,042

- Fruit consumer

4,865

- Vegetables consumer
- Sugar and confectionery
Coffee, tea and cocoa
Mineral waters, soft
drinks,
fruit and vegetables juices
Alcoholic drinks
- Beer
- Spirits
- Wine

8,123
3,128
1,390

7,474
10,13
9
4,366
1,931

3,996

5,793

6,523

6,842

7,188

8,163

95
61
18
17

Catering
Availability of fruit
and vegetables (kg per

6,506
375.7

176
95
37
44
11,68
8
231.1

214
110
51
53
14,10
4
240.1

227
116
54
58
14,94
7
240.9

241
122
56
63
15,90
9
244.3

279
137
65
77
18,87
4
257.0

Consumer Expenditure
(AED Mn, in Constant
Prices)
capita per year)

2000

2005

2010

2011

2012

2015

Source: National statistics, Euromonitor International

Chart 4 Real Growth in Consumer Expenditure Compared with Real Growth in Consumer
Expenditure on Food and Alcoholic Drinks 2000-2015

Source: Euromonitor International

GROOMING AND FASHION

Perceptions of Beauty
Due to the huge number of different nationalities in the UAE, it means that identifying specific
perceptions of beauty that stand out, is difficult and perhaps not even relevant. In a country where
the distribution of wealth is skewed, and where some people live in low grade accommodation with
dormitories, whilst others live in palatial villas and apartments, it is impossible to find a
representation of beauty that crosses the huge cultural divides that exist. However, what is clear is
that for those that can afford it, looking good and dressing well are a measure of success. Certainly
the western media is just as influential in the UAE as elsewhere, and Arab women are just as
susceptible to the ideal of beauty sold on the pages of magazines.
A survey of 500 Emirati women students revealed that a quarter of them could have an eating
disorder. The report in Gulf News in 2010 considered the western media influence: Increased
symptoms of eating disorders in the UAE are not limited to Emirati female students as women of all
nationalities feel pressured to look good. Eating disorders are also common in some men, but
according to Amani's research they are ten times more prevalent in women.
In terms of the Nationals, there are some specific beauty norms, that are either cultural or
traditional, such as the well groomed facial hair of Arab men, the hair threading regimes and the
expertly applied make-up of Arab women, who only show their faces and the tradition of Arab and
Asian women to wear intricate henna tattoos on their hands.
Writing in Psychology Today in 2012 about eating disorders in the UAE, the author comments on an
article in the Muslim Observer: ...despite innumerable fatwas issued by Muslim clerics against TV,
western television and movies are the daily bread of many Gulf residents and have made an
irrevocable mark on the social fabric of the region. Western fashion magazines such as Vogue,
Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire and Elle are all sold in the UAE......Shopping and fashion are national
past times. The clothing women wear beneath the Abayas and the handbags they carry are topnotch fashions.
An article in Gulf News in 2011, considered the basic blueprint of beauty, and the fact that
beauty is culturally defined and "In our globalised world, there is a process of homogenisation in
the concept of beauty. A fairly common definition of beauty is emerging thanks to the contributions
of contemporary advertising, modelling, and popular cultural icons. What is clear is that for some,
attaining beauty, in whatever form that may be is a serious business and often requiring more than
a simple facial or threading session. For some, cosmetic surgery is the only choice, and in the UAE,
there are many options to explore.
The UAE and specifically Dubai and Abu Dhabi are popular with visiting celebrities from all corners
of the globe, with many choosing to holiday in the UAE and attend events such as film festivals,
premiers, performances and parties. The media regularly announce that celebrities are in town,
and their visits are followed closely in the local press.
Female Grooming

According to The National (2010) a study by a PhD student that interviewed 50 Emirati women (1825), presented at the Global Health and the UAE conference at the UAE university, it was shown
that Emirati and American teenagers gave similar responses when asked about the influence of
media: most young UAE women were dieting and as many as a third were underweight. Women
put the blame squarely on the shoulders of skinny celebrities such as Victoria Beckham and Heidi
Klum. In the study of Emirati women, some of those interviewed said they had been overweight at
school but had later gone on diets. A number believed that having a fuller figure was "seen as a
positive" in earlier generations and so young women previously did not feel the need to diet to the
point of becoming underweight.
Cosmetic surgery is widely available and expat forums are full of posts from people searching for
recommendations and seeking advice on cosmetic procedures. Gulf News reported in 2013 how
women accounted for 70% of the cosmetic procedures undertaken in the country, with the top
cosmetic procedures: liposuction, adominoplasty, breast reduction and augmentation, rhinoplasty
and facial rejuvenation. Skin lightening, using off the shelf products is also widely used by certain
nationalities that perceive lighter skin to be desirable. A report in Arab News in 2013 called Why
only fair is lovely the author comments that: our whole concept of beauty begins and ends with
fairness and melanin quotient in our skin. Just glance through some of those matrimonial
adverts; everyone wants a fair and beautiful bride. And those who are stuck with a darker shade
are hawked by their anxious families as wheatish, gifting a whole new word to the English
language. Perhaps no country spends as much as we Indians do to get a fairer and lighter skinthe
lighter the better. Indeed, its a billion rupee industry with top sportsmen and Bollywood stars,
fairness fascists of them all, shamelessly selling fairness creams and lotions. Even Shahrukh Khan,
the reigning superstar known for his dark looks and a razor-sharp mind, endorses one such magical
potion for instant fairness and looks rather ludicrous doing it. As a fashion correspondent
in Emirates 24/7 in 2013 puts it: In a society obsessed with white skin, especially in the Subcontinent, of which UAE expatriates from Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, form
the majority, fairness is still the benchmark for beauty. As a result, the nationalities that are
obsessed with fairness bring this with them to the UAE, and whilst other nationalities have trouble
grasping the issue, it is well-known and accepted and these products are available for purchase.
The Friday magazine referred in 2012 to the craze to be fair-skinned and the potential dangers of
some of the ingredients in the products. The belief of some nationalities that beauty is skin deep
and the ideal is fair skin is alive and well for some.
The UAE has many, many spas and salons to suit all budgets with one writer referring accurately to
the spa-centric city of Dubai. In a country where many residents are obsessed with looking good,
most community centres in residential developments, hotels and malls have a variety of spas and
hair salons to choose from. An article by CNN in 2013 lists outrageous spas in the Middle East
offering everything from gold facials to plasma therapy: ...its no surprise that some spas in the
Middle East are set up to treat you like royalty. Seriously, as in real royalty, not the type of faux
royal platitudes usually dished up on spa brochure copy. Many expats visit their favourite salon on
a weekly basis and are on first name terms with their therapist. Many spas also offer loyalty
schemes allowing clients to earn points from their treatments. It is a common sight in spas in
Dubai to see expat residents taking visiting family members for pedicures and manicures, allowing
the visitors to experience Dubai life.
Male Grooming
A report in The National in 2013 points out how beauty conscious males are now demanding
treatments that were traditionally used for women, and with article stating that 30% of Botox
clients at the clinics sampled are male, it is clear that the UAE male is not afraid to be well
groomed. Whilst an article on the cultural context of male grooming quotes one UAE Arab man as
follows: In Arab culture, its so important for men to groom themselves neatly and always look
polished. Its not only a part of our religion, its part of our culture to respect our hosts by looking
good. This is an important point, as it highlights the fact that male grooming has been around for
a long time in the Middle East.

A report in The Guardian (2013) highlights the fact that men are feeling increasingly insecure
about their physical appearance and speculates that the fashion of mens grooming is due to the
fact that there is nothing left to market to women. In 2013, Gulf Business interviewed the founder
and CEO of the regions first male only grooming parlour, who points out that her decision to open
up a salon for men came about in part from requests from the female clients of her existing
business to offer a similar standard service to their male relatives So I would say 1847 actually
came about by default. I thought to myself, theres too many requests for men to come into [the
nail bar], private requests, and I thought there must be something there. She goes on to echo
what others say about the fact that personal grooming is just a way of life for Arab men: In this
part of the world...men just by their nature, they look after themselves, its just a way of being. Its
an energy thats passed down through generations. The term metrosexual may not apply as much,
because to them its just natural. With the Gulf News stating in one article that a student was
spending AED1,800 a month on grooming, it is clear that looking good is an important topic.
Gulf News reported in 2013 how the top cosmetic procedures in the UAE for men were:
gynaecomastia (breast), rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty (eyelid), liposuction and tummy tuck.
Spa life in Dubai
Time out Abu Dhabi in 2011 advised ladies to Forget your acid peels, dermabrasions and botox,
suggesting instead that natural, local ingredients such as those used in years gone by, were the
way to go, with natural treatments using products such as camel milk, sea salt and olive oil being
offered by some salons. One salon set up the first beauty lounge in one of the Dubai metro
stops. Emirates 24/7 reported in 2013 how Dubai Metro took the initiative to make life easier for
millions of commuters has let out space at the Nakheel Metro Station to a beauty salon and in an
effort not to miss a large proportion of the population, Gulf News reported in 2012 how over 50% of
salons surveyed in Dubai said they were happy to: ....perform beauty procedure[s] for children as
young as 9, including what many tweens are dubbing the latest craze: virgin waxing. One
beautician explained that the younger customers tend to be from Indian and Arab families.
No end to looking good
The Friday magazine in 2012 referred to the UAEs men as vain due to their spending on beauty
products and salon treatments and refers to empowerment through grooming, and one brand
management founder commented: "A well-groomed person represents an organised and
meticulous person, and in the corporate world it is also a reflection of a person's organisation.
There is no doubt that a well-suited, well-groomed and pleasant-smelling person is going to go
much further in the corporate world, as opposed to an equally bright yet slovenly counterpart."
The National reported in 2013 how male patients were topping the list of clients for a visiting
Manhattan based plastic surgeon in the UAE: Men are as vain as women. They are concerned
about their nose, ageing eyelids, and face and neck. They are also bothered by their stomach and
waist area, as well as enlarged breasts. Men also come for non-invasive procedures such as Botox
and fillers, as well as laser hair removal. Unlike women, they usually do not request plumping up
their lips. Looking good is sold by the media, looking good is part of the Arab culture, thus
cosmetic and beauty services for men are perhaps are now seen not as a luxury, but a necessity of
modern living.
Fashion Trends
The image conscious cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi are home to many people that want, and can
afford, to look good. This work hard, play hard, live well ethos is very much alive. Any opportunity
for residents to dress up is grabbed with both expertly manicured hands. From designer Abayas to
designer jeansand bling shoes, high end clothing is very big business. Contrast this with the fake
industry which offers everything from copy handbags and shoes to watches and perfume, there is
every opportunity to purchase fashion at whatever price point is desired.
Due to the multicultural mix there are style influences from every corner of the world, and the
climate also influences what is available in the stores. In winter, the windows are full of wool and
fur clothes and accessories, and in summer skimpy and light becomes the norm. Many shops in the

malls cater for the visitors, and so despite the window displays seeming to be inappropriate for the
climate, there is method behind selling woollen jumpers in a desert climate. Due to the fact that
there is such diversity in financial status and in culture, it means that distinct fashion trends seen
in other countries make less impact. In 2011, Arabian Business reported that the country had the
highest fashion in the developing world, and attributed this to both disposable income and fashion
consciousness.
The regular Friday brunches held in many of the luxury hotels in places like Dubai see expats
dressing up in their finest and enjoying life to the full. This is in contrast to the respectful clothing
that is normally advised, and many women wear revealing dresses that would be more suited to
nightclubs than lunches. One article in Time Out Dubai stated that Brunch is not a meal it is a
lifestyle choice. Dress properly please, which sums it up rather well.
Whilst Dubai is not regarded quite in the same league as London, New York and Paris, it is trying to
be. In 2013 Gulf Business covered a story on the announcement of the new Design District
planned for Dubai, which aims to be a commercial hub for the industry in the area: Dubai Design
District will be a vital part of the process as we look to deliver against the objectives set out in our
Tourism Vision 2020, and it will provide an additional key element in Dubais bid to host Expo
2020. The National pointed out that the emphasis would be on design not fashion, with focus on
the design industry, from furnishing to woodwork and watches to cars. Furthermore, The National
reported in 2013 how Dubai wanted to join the other fashion capitals of the world through the
development of a design and fashion council: "Retail has always been one of Dubai's main
attractions for tourists and with fashion a critical component of this, the establishment of the Dubai
Design and Fashion Council by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is an
important step in the expansion of this sector.
Most luxury brands are well represented in the UAE, and the criticism from residents is not about a
lack of brands, but about the lack of small, independent stores. In 2012 The National noted how
the malls had little to differentiate themselves from others. One expat commented: "I think the
choice is quite poor," he says. "In general the shopping is quite poor and the clothes are more
expensive [than the UK] for the same brands." The problem is a common topic of conversation for
those that have taken vacations and bring back their purchases from overseas, that are not
available in the UAE. The dearth of independent brands and retailers, is likely due to the licencing
laws and also the cost of leasing space in malls, which make it prohibitive for small businesses.
This is why events such as the art and craft souqs, such as Artisans of the Emirates ARTE) which
hold events for local artisans to sell clothes and crafts are now so popular. It allows residents the
opportunity to speak to the people that make the crafts and to find things that are completely
different to what is available in the malls. There are smaller brands and independent retailers
starting to set up in the UAE, but they tend to be away from the malls, and so they do not get the
huge footfall seen in the malls. This is a common criticism of shopping in the UAE: "All the malls
here are the same. Go into the malls and it's same thing everywhere," says Arshed Mohammed,
the managing director of Spirit of Arabia, a new fashion brand hoping to break into the UAE market.
"You could be in London in Dubai Mall. Mr Mohammed has spent more than US$650,000 (Dh2.3
million) in the past year coming up with his affordable clothing concept with an Arabian twist,
hiring a designer, building a website and renting a big shop space in the new Sunset Mall in
Jumeirah in Dubai. He became bored with the usual international and regional brands dominating
the country's mall space and is trying to initiate change.
Fake goods are big business in the UAE, and with the need to keep up with the Jones being a
popular pastime, but unaffordable for many, it means that fake handbags rub shoulders with real
ones, and it can be very difficult to know the difference. Some shoppers are actually very proud of
their high quality copy products and not shy of admitting it. Gulf News reported in 2010: We
realise we have stepped into a den of fake branded luxury items. From travel bags and handbags
to wallets, belts, watches and other accessories, every label worth its name can be found in the
two-room apartment. The variety is huge. As it emerges, this place is only the tip of the iceberg in
what is a thriving market for fake goods. Studies estimate that the size of the counterfeit market in
the country is around U$6.27 billion with operators functioning not just from behind closed doors

and sundry outlets in the lanes and bylanes of areas like Bur Dubai, Deira and Karama but also
from some of the swankiest malls in town and otheremirates. Sources concede the proliferation of
counterfeit luxury items in the country is so deep that it is practically impossible to wipe out the
menace. Although a criminal offence punishable by fines and imprisonment under the law, sources
admit there are many challenges in fighting the unlawful practice.
There are many very good tailors and dress makers, that can copy designer dresses from magazine
pictures and make good quality suits in a short space of time. Therefore, for those that aspire to
the big designer labels, but that choose not to buy fake there is also the possibility of a handmade garment to any specification. Some residents even purchase their own fabric from outlets
overseas, such as Liberty, and then get garments made locally. Expat forums are full of queries
and recommendations for tailors and dress makers and many businessmen wear bespoke suits. A
report by the BBC in 2013 highlights how tailors in the Middle East are attracting global custom,
and that high tech completion is shifting the business of tailoring away from the back street and
making it big business.
Looking good on a budget
A recent report in The National in 2013 identified how the Tesco budget clothing line was about to
be brought to the UAE, following the arrival of Asdas equivalent. This point demonstrates a shift
away from luxury designer brands, towards budget fashion, and this is attributed in part to the fact
that expats move to the UAE solely to save money, and as articles in the press are fond of pointing
out, spending not saving is what many people do. One Dubai blogger commented on her visit to
Lamcy Plaza and her discovery of Matalan: Ladies and Gents this is one department store you
need to check out, sure it can hit and miss but this is what Dubai is lacking a high street retailer
that is affordable for any budget! But dont tell [too] many people, lets try and keep this one to
ourselves!
Small stores needed to help demand for homegrown and new brands
Gulf Business reported in 2013 how the UAE is ranked the 11th biggest importer of clothing in the
world: Most of the clothing brands in the UAE work under a franchise structure or joint venture
with a local partner, however, the trend is changing slowly as home-grown fashion brands are
emerging to compete with international peers, said CEO of Abughazaleh Trading Company
(ABCO), a wholesale distributor and manufacturer of apparel and accessories. In most cities across
the world it is possible to shop from a variety of independent retailers, specialising in goods of a
particular type, sold by staff that are knowledgeable and often passionate about their product. In
the UAE, the shops are often franchised or large brands, and the staff can lack the depth of
knowledge which can make shopping in smaller stores such as pleasure. The arrival of craft and
food markets, flea markets and pop-up stores have been greeted positively by residents as they
address the problem with mall boredom and the desire for something different. One Dubai blogger
commented in their guide to shopping: Tired of endless Dubai shopping malls, all featuring the
same chains? Looking to buy unique items that are not available in every store, yet not
expensive?
Table 5 Grooming and Fashion Data 2000, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015

AED Mn, at constant

prices

Personal care consumer

expenditure
Colour cosmetics retail
sales
Fragrances retail sales

2000

2005

2010

2011

2012

2015

5,629

7,913

8,831

9,298

9,798

11,23
8

230

320

403

438

464

545

487

651

786

841

890

1,030

AED Mn, at constant

prices
Hair care retail sales
Oral care retail sales
Men's grooming retail
sales
Skin care retail sales
Sun care retail sales
Clothing consumer
expenditure
- Clothing materials
consumer expenditure
- Garments consumer
expenditure
- Other clothing
consumer expenditure
- Clothing cleaning,
repair and hire
consumer expenditure
Footwear consumer
expenditure

2000
238
175
109

2005
311
231
154

2010
450
289
183

2011
480
309
192

2012
508
327
200

2015
589
379
226

172
9
24,64
2

309
12
35,16
9

428
15
39,30
1

459
16
41,31
5

487
17
43,45
6

576
20
49,56
7

6,756

8,012

7,728

8,021

8,297

8,958

12,86
2

19,74
2

23,08
3

24,35
7

25,73
5

29,77
5

2,464

3,627

4,144

4,362

4,598

5,280

2,559

3,789

4,346

4,576

4,826

5,554

4,547

5,968

6,309

6,586

6,867

7,619

Source: National statistics, Euromonitor International

Chart 5 Real Growth in Consumer Expenditure Compared with Real Growth in Consumer
Expenditure on Clothing, Footwear and Personal Care 2000-2015

Source: Euromonitor International

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Attitudes to Health and Well-being
The health expenditure per capita is around double that of 2000, at US$1,612. Healthy life
expectancy at birth is currently 68.7 years, with little difference for men and women.
The Government funds a public healthcare service for Nationals. According to the Abu Dhabi
Government website, emergency healthcare in the Emirate is free of charge in all public hospitals.
UAE citizens are entitled to Thiqa, a health insurance programme provided through the insurance
company Daman, which gives free-of-charge access to a large number of public and private health
service providers.
In order to obtain a residency visa in the UAE, it is a requirement that everyone has a blood test for
communicable diseases such as Hepatitis B and C and HIV, and a check for TB which involves a
chest x-ray. Expat forums are full of discussions of what happens if the results of the health check

show that someone has one of the diseases, and in some cases it is said there is a requirement to
leave the country immediately.
Reporting in 2014, The National commented on the news that a new AED1 billion hospital would be
built in Dubai to boost the citys position as a medical tourism hub, and as the hospital would be a
teaching hospital it is aimed to create more medical graduates to address the shortage. Recent
statistics show that the number of medical tourists receiving treatment is estimated to increase by
15 per cent each year. Additionally, healthcare spending in the UAE is expected to reach Dh40
billion by 2015, while medical tourists are set to cross the 20 million mark for the same period.
For expats and tourists to receive healthcare in the UAE, they must pay or be covered by insurance
and for most people this means having good quality healthcare insurance that is provided by the
employer and is part of the package that is negotiated, but is also now a legal requirement. Gulf
News 2013 reported on the new Dubai Health Insurance law to be implemented in 2014 in phases
(it was originally supposed to follow the regulations in Abu Dhabi that have now been in place for a
number of years, but was postponed). The idea behind the law is to create a baseline of insurance
for all residents of Dubai and the old health card issued to people will be replaced by an insurance
card: The entire population of the emirates of Dubai will come under the purview of the new
health insurance law. This includes nationals and expatriates numbering about 3 million. There will
be different schemes for visitors as in their case, we are looking at emergency treatments.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that many expats choose to travel overseas for medical procedures
as they have greater trust for health systems in their own countries. Furthermore, a Gallup survey
reported that out of 4,000 GCC nationals surveyed that despite general satisfaction with the
quality of healthcare in the UAE, that 39% would prefer to be treated abroad, which is a lower
number that identified in previous surveys. With the influx of overseas doctors to the UAE, the
need to travel for high quality and specialist care is likely to reduce further in years to come. For
some expats, the novelty of paying for private healthcare and the feeling of a premium service,
when compared to free healthcare in their home country, makes the country a popular place for
routine and cosmetic procedures.
An article in the Gulf News in 2013 identifies how health insurance for some people has risen more
than 100% in the past two years. Dental check-ups can cost AED350 per visit, and not all insurance
covers dental work or maternity related care and check-ups. This is why there is a tendency to selfmedicate in the UAE, especially due to the ease with which certain drugs such as antibiotics can be
purchased without prescription from pharmacies. When drugs are easy to come by, and the
internet easy to use for getting advice on what to take, it makes self-medication a quick and easy
option for many. In a paper by Dr. Shahbaz Baig on self-medication practices, it is noted a study
conducted in the UAE showed that respondents most commonly used antibiotics. A report in the
International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health in 2013 noted how a cross sectional survey
of 324 students in the UAE, from four different schools showed a positive inclination towards selfmedicating, but that knowledge gaps resulted in drug misuse and toxicity.
Obesity
Obesity is a major health issue and in 2012 the Gulf News reported how the UAE was the fifth most
obese country in the world, behind the US, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain. With issues such as reduced
physical activity due to obsession with technology, a love of fast food leading to excess calorie
consumption and the weather which keeps people inside during the summer months, the health
issue has become a major problem for the Ministry of Health.
The data shows that the intake of calories has remained steady since 2000, with very little
fluctuation from around 3,200 calories per day (per capita), which is clearly higher than
recommended for men and women. The percentage of the population classed as obese has
increased slightly since 2000 to 33.9% in 2012, whilst the overweight population has slightly
reduced to 35.9% in 2012. The NHS (UK) recommends that the average man should eat no more
than 30g of saturated fat per day, and the data shows that the average supply of fat per day
(grams per capita) was a worryingly high 91.7 in 2012.

What this tells us is that there is a serious problem with obesity in the UAE, and those who joke
about the Dubai Stone know that it is no longer a joke, but a real problem. One expat blogger
comments on a problem that will soon become a killer: Its called the Dubai stone and its so
common its become a bit of a joke a right of UAE expat passage, so to speak. Many people feel
that its so inevitable that they dont even bother fighting it and the excessive drinking, the lavish
brunches and the lazy expat lifestyles dont do much to help. But the UAEs expats have now been
given a health warning: Obesity specialist Dr Fuad Ahmed predicts that, within the next 10 years,
obesity could become the biggest killer of expats in the UAE. The blogger goes on to talk about
how parents are requesting gastric band surgery for children as young as 12, and that this is no
joke at all.
The obesity problem is fuelling a huge demand for healthy meals delivered to the door, personal
trainers and gyms, diets, fitness, pills and cosmetic surgery. The media now refers to the problem
as diabesity due to the link with diabetes. The Friday Magazine reported in 2013 how the Middle
East is the epicentre of the epidemic. It goes on to say that: A whopping 18.9 per cent of the
UAE population are living with diabetes according to the International Diabetes Federation, while
WHO estimates that almost 20% of the UAE adult population is overweight or obese. Diabetes is
linked to 31% of deaths in both expats and Emiratis aged between 20 to 79, and treatment of
diabetes accounts for 40% of overall healthcare expenditures.
The most worrying fact is that it is not simply adults that are suffering from obesity. The health
forum for the Arab World reported in 2013 that rates of 30% obesity in UAE children between 6 and
16 years had been reported in a survey that looked at the perceptions of teachers, parents and
students in the Middle East. The report goes on to suggest that a variety of reasons have led to the
problem such as: Lifestyle and dietary changes, industrialization, bottle feeding and cultural
beliefs and attitudes. It cites unhealthy choices as being more accessible: According to the
survey, fats, oils, sugars and carbonated drinks have become inexpensive and costs of fruits and
vegetables have gone up during economic downturns........ Lack of nutrition and exercise has
closed a circuit capable of pulling off a cascade of deadly consequences in the health of UAE
children.
An article in The National in 2013 sums up the problem when discussing the UAE banning of supersize sodas: Among the decisions [from the Cabinets retreat on health treatment] was a restriction
to the size of fizzy drinks allowed to be sold, in the nations battle against the increasing problem
of obesity, which can lead to further health issues such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Developing health services is a priority for the Government, said Sheikh Mohammed on Monday.
The health of our citizens cannot be measured with money, and treatment, wherever it is, is their
right.
Attitudes to Smoking
Smoking is prevalent as cigarettes and tobacco are cheap (around AED2 to AED8) and freely
available and the smoking of Shisha water pipes is a popular pastime and considered to be an
important part of the Arab culture.
The prevalence of smoking in adults is 16.6%, but differs between males and females (22.1%
versus 5.6% respectively). The data for men and women does not show an increase in smoking,
with the figures staying relatively consistent since 2000, despite the huge increase in population in
that time.
The National reported in 2013 how one in five teenage boys in the UAE is a smoker. A World
Health Organisation study in 194 countries found that 21.3 per cent of boys and 9 per cent of girls
aged 13 to 15 in the UAE used tobacco, and most preferred cigarettes to other products such as
shisha or dokha. It is said that the marketing of tobacco is no longer allowed, and the sale to
teenagers is tightly controlled, but the changes have been fairly recent and even the creation of
smoke free areas are not totally adopted yet, with many bars still allowing smoking inside. The
report in The National in 2013 highlights the problem experienced in Abu Dhabi: ...an indoor ban
on smoking in mall cafes and restaurants across Abu Dhabi resulted in confusion. Some premises
were fined, others continued to allow their customers to smoke without any warnings.

Citing figures from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, a World Health Organisation initiative, the
National pointed out in 2013 how water pipe use among 13 to 15-year-olds in the UAE is far higher
than the use of cigarettes. The water pipe is common in outside cafes and with it being a
traditional pastime; it is also a popular thing for tourists to try as part of their holiday experience.
The National reported in 2013 how the Shisha was The Middle Easts favourite toxin. The Global
Youth Tobacco Survey states that: Among Arab youth in particular, numerous epidemiological
surveys have documented the dramatic increase in waterpipe smoking, and it has now replaced
cigarettes as the most common form of tobacco use in just a few years. The Khaleej Times
reported in 2013 how tougher laws for Shisha cafes in the UAE are going to be implemented from
2014. Shisha cafes to be restricted to places 150 metres away from residential buildings and
populated neighbourhoods, schools, mosques, and others.
Al Bawaba reported in 2013 that despite a UAE-wide ban on E-cigarettes, there was growing
evidence of use: Investigation revealed that unlicensed traders sell e-cigarettes for Dh50 a piece,
and claim they can arrange for small quantities at a time. The illegal import is being done through
word of mouth and, according to Gulf News sources, even through licensed traders of Chinese
products in free zone areas, albeit in small quantities.
Apps for everything
The Government of Dubai has committed to implementing eGovt and MGovt, where smart phone
apps and online facilities will be used to access a range of Government related services. For
example, Gulf News reports on the app for Dubai Health Authority Services: Dubai Health
Authoritys (DHA) free app allows you to find and book a doctors appointment, get reminders
about your childs vaccine, get directions to DHA facilities, find a medical facility, pull out your
medical records, schedule a blood donation and give feedback to health authorities. It can even
calculate your body mass index (BMI). The ability to stay connected with Government services
must be seen as positive, particularly in view of the fact that previously the Government services
were seen by some as bureaucratic and long winded. The push by the Government of Dubai, to
transform their services and make them accessible electronically 24/7 through the implementation
of its smart Government initiative, could herald a new era of simplified and standardised
procedures for all.
Looking good in the UAE
Gulf News reported in 2013 on the increased interest in cosmetic surgery in the UAE: ....the UKbased Elite Cosmetic Surgery Group opened a UAE branch at Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC),
prompted by the flow of enquiries from the Middle East.....Dr Sanjay Parashar, Founder and CEO of
Cocoona, a centre for cosmetic and plastic surgery in Dubai, said: The recent explosion in
cosmetic procedures is inevitable. It is driven by demand from consumers. We have approximately
20 per cent medical tourists visiting our centre for various procedures. This also links to the
increased interest in the UAE and particularly Dubai as a medical tourism destination.
Table 6 Health and Wellness Data 2000, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015

Total health
expenditure (US$ per
capita)
Share of total health
expenditure in GDP
(%
of total GDP)

2000

2005

2010

2011

2012

2015

751.7

1,029.
8

1,467.
5

1,639.
9

1,611.
9

n/a

2.1

2.1

4.2

4.0

3.6

n/a

- Public health
expenditure's share of
total health
expenditure (% of
total
health expenditure)
- Private health
expenditure's share of
total health
expenditure (% of
total
health expenditure)
Healthy life
expectancy
at birth: total
population (years)
Healthy life
expectancy
at birth: males (years)
Healthy life
expectancy
at birth: females
(years)
Average supply of
food
calories per day
(calories per capita)
Average supply of
protein per day
(grams
per capita)
Average supply of fat
per day (grams per
capita)
Obese population
(BMI
30 kg/sq m or more)
(%
of population aged
15+)

2000
76.6

2005
59.0

2010
73.0

2011
74.4

2012
73.3

2015
n/a

23.4

41.0

27.0

25.6

26.7

n/a

62.2

65.3

68.3

68.5

68.7

69.1

61.7

65.5

67.9

68.1

68.3

68.7

63.1

65.1

69.3

69.6

69.8

70.4

3,271.
0

3,199.
0

3,245.
2

3,248.
0

3,252.
5

3,270.
6

106.7

101.8

103.3

103.8

104.7

107.7

95.8

83.2

90.2

91.0

91.7

93.6

30.5

31.9

33.3

33.6

33.9

34.6

Overweight
population
(BMI 25-30 kg/sq m or
more) (% of
population
aged 15+)
Tobacco consumer
expenditure (AED per
capita, at constant
prices)
Smoking prevalence
amongst adult
population (% of total
adult population)
Smoking prevalence
amongst adult male
population (% of male
adult population)
Smoking prevalence
amongst adult female
population (% of
female
adult population)

2000

2005

2010

2011

2012

2015

36.2

36.2

36.0

35.9

35.9

35.6

324.0

313.3

136.5

140.7

144.2

151.1

17.7

17.0

18.6

18.8

18.6

18.3

22.0

21.3

22.1

22.3

22.1

22.0

5.3

5.2

5.5

5.6

5.6

5.5

Source: National statistics, Euromonitor International

Chart 6 Real Growth in Public and Private Expenditure on Health Compared with
Healthy Life Expectancy at Birth 2000-2012

Source: Euromonitor International

SHOPPING HABITS
Main Household Shop
Gulf News reported in 2013 that UAE consumers spend 17 per cent of their monthly household
income on general shopping items such as groceries, according to a survey conducted by
Mastercard, and 73% of UAE consumers are to shop for their groceries at least once a week. The
sight of a lady shopping with her maid pushing the trolley around the supermarket is common, and
for some the weekly shop means sending the maid with the driver and a list of items to buy.
Perhaps the frequency of shopping is due to the ease with which people can shop (due to the
domestic help) or the proximity of a supermarket to the main residential areas, or the fact that
fresh fruit and vegetables do not last as long once purchased.
A study by a student at the University of Wollongong in Dubai in 2012 looked at whether shopping
was a family affair for Dubais tweens, and the small study concluded that: ...most teenagers like

to go shopping with their friends. They also prefer to spend longer time in malls than their
parents. This is certainly the case when looking at the supermarkets and the demographic of the
shoppers. Most are women, many with small children, and outside of school times it is common to
see small groups of teenagers in supermarkets.
There are many opportunities when out and about in the UAE to buy a few products to top-up the
cupboards. Fuel stations, small grocery stores and the plethora of supermarkets, mean that
residents are never far from a shop. An article in Gulf News in 2011 reported how convenience and
accessibility are important factors for fuelling the demand for community shopping centres. The
article points out that residents want convenience, with one resident of Dubai commenting that he
regularly took a detour on his drive home to visit the community centre: I go there at least three
times a week just to pick up stuff I need on a daily basis; it's close, it's accessible and it's small so
I'm not tempted to buy things I don't need. These community centres, or neighbourhood centres
are, in fact, mini malls located in residential developments, and they usually have a supermarket
and pharmacy, pet shop and a caf. The fact that the newly constructed, purpose built residential
areas come with the provision of shopping means that residents do not need to travel far for most
of their consumables. Many supermarkets now stock a range of organic alternatives and thus the
need to travel far for specific items is being gradually reduced.
Shopping for Big-ticket Items
Unlike other countries, where there has been an increase in the use of online shopping for Bigticket items, in the UAE it is still a case of shopping around in person. Visiting the stores is
necessary because even if the store has a website, it is not always up to date and phoning the
stores to ask about products, can lead to confusion due to the potential language barrier between
customer and staff.
Most stores that sell big-ticket items are located in malls; some are specialist stores such as
furniture importers, retailers and electronics retailers. Other stores are Hypermarkets which carry a
good selection of electronics and home wares at prices that are very competitive when compared
to the specialist stores. Ask most expats where they bought their white goods from and they will
probably say a small handful of names that everyone in the UAE has heard of. When purchasing
items from stores, there is usually a big effort to upsell products, particularly by emphasising new
features such as HD in TVs and new technology so that customers can future proof themselves.
Due to the number of expats, who often have to buy big-ticket items when they arrive (and the fact
that they often sell them again when they leave), it means there is a good market for second-hand
goods, with online UAE classifieds like Dubizzle and Souq.com doing brisk business. Those expats
planning to stay in the UAE only a few years may opt for buying second hand in order to save
money.
As with other types of shopping in the UAE, the choice of store is also about convenience, both in
terms of store location and speed of delivery. The UAE is very much a country of the moment and
people expect their goods to be delivered without delay, and this expectation is very often
achievable in a country with a good road network and plenty of delivery drivers.
Demand of cars is strong and for luxury brands especially, due to the importance placed on car
ownership and the offers made by dealers. Premium brands such as Ferrari, Porsche and Lexus
amongst others are popular and there are many specialist luxury second hand dealers. Arabian
Business reported in 2013 how: Al Nabooda Automobiles ... has entered a key phase in a AED900
million (US$245m) investment programme to expand its Porsche, Audi and Volkswagen operations
in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. Weve sold more luxury Porsche vehicles than any other
dealer in the world over the last decade, and the new facility will give us a superb platform to
maintain our position, said Rajaram. Emirates 24/7 commented in 2013 how UAE banks were
offering 0% interest, no down payment and deferred payments on some car loans. Additionally,
many motor companies also offer free service contracts and insurance.
Personal Shopping

In a country with hot and humid summers, mall shopping and hanging around in the enormous airconditioned malls is a leisure pursuit for many nationals and expats alike. During the winter and
summer shopping festivals, the outlets in the malls in Dubai, for example, can stay open until 3am
in some cases. The Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment CEO commented on the topic in 2014:
We always look for ways to enhance the shopping experience for our DSF visitors. With shopping
malls in Dubai becoming more of standalone destinations rather than just a shopping centre, we
are sure that extending mall hours till the wee hours of the day allows shoppers more time to shop
and have fun, and at the same time enhances retail sales across the participating shopping malls.
It is common to see whole extended families shopping together in the malls and as all malls have
male and female prayer rooms and the call to prayer is made on speakers to all shoppers, it is a
place that Emiratis are comfortable to bring their families and is especially popular at the
weekends. The dress code for mall shopping requires everyone, including tourists to dress
modestly and signs on the door remind people of this fact when they enter. Advice cards are
handed out to those who flout the modesty rules. One expat commented: Dress standards have
been discussed again and again through the years but people just want to look for loopholes and
excuses to not follow it simply because it's "inconvenient". However, the benefits we receive in this
country, tourists and resident expats alike, far outweigh the price we pay for cultural sensitivity.
Implementation should also apply to people regardless of gender and nationality. The criticism of
inappropriate clothing in malls is often directed towards unwitting tourists, and quite often British
tourists. One Dubai expat blogger commented in 2011: Yet, the UAE needs its holidaymakers, and
particularly Brits. Last month, Visa reported that British tourists spent more money in the UAE in
2010 than any other nationality, with a spokesman from Visa predicting that the UAE would enjoy a
cash boost from a heavily increasing number of international tourists over the next five years.
Clearly, the problem of mall decency and the impact of encouraging tourists and expats to shop
side by side with Nationals will continue to be a topic of debate.
The choice of where shoppers buy their clothes and personal care products partly relates to culture
and for Muslim women must take account of the fact that they should generally be served by a
woman, specifically for clothing and personal items. For expats and tourists there are numerous
choices on where to buy personal care products, with pharmacies, supermarkets, hypermarkets,
and to a small degree also service stations offering options. As most shops in the UAE are a drive
away (very few people live close enough to the shops to allow for walking) it means that the place
of purchase is more likely to be about where the bulk of shopping visits are done, and as many
malls and community centres serving residential developments generally have a supermarket and
a pharmacy, along with a pet store, coffee shop, optician, beauty salon, the choice of where to buy
relates to where the shopper happens to be. Convenience is important.
Many people choose to shop away from malls, opting instead for the Souqs which are, as one
reporter put it gritty and ramshackle. The Souqs of Dubai offer a dizzying array of items from
pots to scarves, washing baskets to CDs: ...Emirati girls shop for fake Yves Saint Laurent shaylahs
(headscarves), their mothers haggle for stainless steel pot sets, their grandmothers buy oud
(aromatic wood that's lit like incense), while their brothers, husbands and dads bargain for the
latest digital gadgets. The Souqs are a melting pot of products and cultures, thrown together in a
maze of streets and alleyways, and whilst they are a far cry from the glittering malls, they provide
an important source of trade for the residents.
With one report in Gulf News in 2012 saying that UAE teens spend 3 times the world average on
fashion, it is clear that all ages are sucked into the shopaholic world of the UAE, and the spending
is not limited to adults.
Shopping Online
According to Gulf News in 2013, the UAE currently sits in the top 25 list for online trade.
It is reported that the online market has been slow to get going in the Middle East due to a number
of issues such as poor websites, fear of online fraud, and lack of advertising for sites. However, this
is certainly now changing. The National (2013) reported in December 2013 that: Online retailers
are reporting a surge in sales during the annual festive shopping spree as consumer preference for

shopping online outpaces the physical malls. This is a significant change, and is likely to be a
trend as opposed to a seasonal blip. Furthermore, companies such as Aramex have done very well
indeed out of the expats ordering products from their home countries and getting them couriered
to the UAE.
Things are set to change though, with the Gulf News reporting in 2014 that online grocery
shopping is set to increase. One Expat comments that: ... he found out that online grocery
shopping was available in the UAE while browsing an expatriate forum. ... he still prefers to shop at
malls during the weekends, but due to his busy schedule during the week, he shops online to save
time. He likes to keep watch for deals on merchandise, not just groceries online, and has only tried
Geant Online for his groceries. I have been to other websites as well, but was not satisfied with
the product range they offer. Initially, I was worried about buying frozen stuff online, but when I
received my first order; my assumptions were [proved] wrong. It was packed and delivered
perfectly, he said. The managing partner of one company that started offering online grocery
shopping in 2006 said that they have up to 8,500 deliveries per month, 28% of which come from
online orders.
The frequent criticism of online shopping in the UAE from forums and overheard conversations is
that the lack of products available, poor websites, unreliable delivery, and the fact that people see
Mall shopping as a pastime. Some expats visit Malls and then check out prices of goods in their
own country using their mobiles, to get an idea of whether the products are appropriately priced.
In 2011 The National reported how a lack of online payment providers was potentially holding back
online shopping. The Middle East appears prime territory for online retail. The region, and the UAE
in particular, have young, tech-savvy populations with high levels of mobile phone ownership and
internet access. But the region lacks the data infrastructure to allow more transactions and
companies that could provide those services, such as PayPal, refrain from basing themselves in the
market because transaction levels are low. The fact that online payment providers must partner
with a local company and adhere to strict regulations means poses a significant barrier. Apart from
a few specialist companies, for example ones selling pet food and organic products that allow for
online ordering, but that do not take online payments, online shopping is still in its infancy. The
National reported in 2013 how only 25 shopping websites had registered with the Department of
Economic Development in Dubai. The effort is part of a campaign aimed at raising awareness of
who shoppers with a complaint can contact. One Dubai expat commented on the hassle of
returning goods, saying You know where you stand if you buy something in person.
Emirates 24/7 reported in 2013 of the new website from the Dubai Government, which allows the
checking and comparison of prices in major grocery outlets. The website (with an app also) allows
for the checking of prices, finding special offers and the submitting of complaints. This type of
service is new to the UAE, but indicates the slow push towards online methods.
A report in The National in 2013 highlights a survey by the online retailer Jadopado which states
that 90% of UAE residents have made an online purchase, and although the survey does not
specify whether the online stores were UAE based or overseas, and there is clearly some potential
for sample bias. Despite this, the findings are interesting, especially the fact that respondents
ranked the consideration of customer service so highly: The top consideration was pricing at 38
per cent, followed by quality of customer service at 37 per cent, ease of use of the website at 31
per cent, convenience and speed of delivery at 28 per cent and lastly, product selection at 26 per
cent. Of those who had shopped online, the most common purchases were in consumer electronics
and IT at 85 per cent, followed by travel and event tickets at 58 per cent and software and
applications at 49 per cent.
Online ordering for busy people
Most people expect to carry out some of their shopping online these days, but it has been slower
to take off in the UAE, particularly as some people seem unaware that shops actually offer it. Some
new businesses such as the organic vegetable companies, offering box delivery were quick to
adopt online ordering and it forms an important part of their business. It is now also possible to
order things like pizza and other foods using an online order system, with delivery drivers carrying

credit card machines to take payments at the door, rather than customers having to have the
correct cash available. One UAE expat made the following comment online, which sums up the
general feeling rather well: I have checked all of these websites. First thing is that their product
range is very limited and second, they are over-priced. I wish the hypermarkets had detailed and
complete online product websites as well as an organized home delivery system. There are many
people who can't go for shopping themselves due to lack of time, health problems, and incapability
of driving cars.
Small format shopping at the centre of the community
The Abu Dhabi Plan for 2030 sets out its developmental plan for achieving the accolade for the
most desirable place to live and carry out business in the Middle East. The plan highlights the
mission to bring a life balance to people and society and the use of a consumer-centric approach
to retail through convenient, shopping-friendly places that matter to the communities they serve.
This strategy is echoed by other UAE supermarket retailers. The Arabian Business in 2011 said
that: Spinneys Dubai has 20 smaller grocery stores in the UAE while Lulu and Al Maya
Supermarkets both announced plans this month to expand their community-based stores in a bid
to entice more customers to shop locally. The article points out that community retail that
services a smaller catchment area with localised retail and it is a strategy that requires a good
understanding of the community it aims to serve.
Table 7 Shopping Data 2000, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015

AED Mn at constant prices

Grocery retailers'
- Modern grocery
retailers'
-- Convenience stores'
-- Forecourt retailers'
-- Hypermarkets'
-- Supermarkets'
Traditional grocery
retailers'
-- Food/drink/tobacco
specialists'
-- Independent small
grocers'
-- Other grocery
retailers'
Apparel and Footwear
specialist
retailers'
Electronics and

2000

2005

2010

2011

2012

2015

21,73
9
14,95
3

32,78
0
24,21
3

33,38
2
25,59
9

34,25
8
26,30
6

35,70
7
27,51
1

40,78
6
31,67
0

478
831
15,66
9,464 3
4,554 7,241
18,56
6,786 8

671
752
17,48
8
6,688

700
775
17,93
0
6,901

730
812
18,73
4
7,234

855
950
21,31
5
8,550

238
697

7,783 7,952 8,195 9,117

2,946 4,238 4,441 4,545 4,703 5,409

3,790 4,272 3,294 3,359 3,443 3,661
50

59

47

49

49

47

13,44 13,90 14,56 17,09

4,781 9,999 0
0
1
1
3,113 5,345 5,765 6,025 6,330 7,155

AED Mn at constant prices

appliance specialist
retailers'
Health and beauty
specialist retailers'
Home and garden
specialist retailers'
Leisure and personal
goods specialist
retailers'
Mixed retailers'
Other non-grocery
retailers'
Internet retailing

2000

2005

2010

2011

2012

2015

4,842 7,547 7,959 8,309 8,720 9,899

5,400 8,092 7,253 7,507 7,782 9,024
10,85
5,974 8,170 8,923 9,169 9,491 2

3,552 5,232 5,101 5,257 5,454 6,094

1,650 2,081 1,883 1,931 1,957 2,014
399

1,045 1,402 1,532 1,697 2,577

Source: National statistics, Euromonitor International

Chart 7 Index of Retail Sales through Discounters, Supermarkets and Internet Retailing
2000-2015

Source: National statistics, Euromonitor International

LEISURE AND RECREATION

Staying in
Pastimes for nationals and expats alike include a variety of activities which depend to a degree on
the season. The oppressive summer temperatures and humidity mean that outdoor activities such
as off-roading, golf, horse and camel racing and polo, kite surfing, jet skis and outdoor dining,
make way for indoor and air-conditioned activities such as mall shopping, overseas travel, staying
in and internet socialising which is a national pastime for the average resident. Dubai and Abu
Dhabi are the work hard, play hard cities in the UAE, with many entertainment options available to
suit most budgets.
There are big differences between how the residents of the Emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and
Sharjah spend their spare time, as opposed to the other Emirates, which are essentially less
developed and offer fewer options in terms of organised entertainment. For example: a night out in
Dubai will offer many more options that a night out in Umm Al-Quwain, but in view of the fact that
the population of UAE is predominantly placed in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and also Sharjah, it is
reasonable to consider these areas as significant in how the population spend their leisure and
recreation time.
With 99.9% of households having a TV, and 98.3% of households having Satellite TV and 72%
having an Internet enabled computer, it is apparent that media consumption in all its forms is an
important part of life in Dubai, and despite the possibilities for mobility in consumption, it is clear
that staying in is an option chosen by many. Badreya Nasser Abdullah Janibi, an assistant
professor at the United ArabEmirates University in Al Ain, identifies internet addiction of the
Emirati youth, which she believes is due to social restrictions in some families. "Many families give
their kids laptops and cell phones because they prefer to keep them close at home instead of
playing outside with strangers".

Options for television viewing include cable or satellite, which offer a mix of Arabic and English
language programmes aimed at both Nationals and Expats. News and movies appear to be the
most popular programmes. For those that dare, the internet provides other options for viewing
programmes broadcast in their home countries, but this activity can attract stiff penalties for those
caught downloading and distributing from the internet. In 2011 an Emirati internet pirate faced
fines of US$1m, according to an article in Arabian Business, proving that such practices come with
significant risks. Television and cinema are popular indoor activities in a country that has
temperatures exceeding 40 degrees for a significant part of the year. It is not uncommon to see
cinema goers multi-tasking with their phones and tablets while watching movies at the cinema,
often to the annoyance of those around them.
Hot on the heels of broadcast programmes as an indoor activity, is browsing the web,
with Emirates24/7 stating in 2013 that browsing the internet is the favourite pastime in the region
and of the 10,815 respondents to the survey run by Bayt.com it was reported that spending time
with the family and internet browsing were the favourite pastimes. Research by the American
University in Dubai carried out in 2011 identified that of the 638 UAE Nationals aged between 16
and 25 surveyed, that they spent an average of 9.9 hours a day on media (Internet and Television).
With 99.5% of households having a mobile phone it is not unusual to see people carrying 2 or even
3 mobile phones. Expats often have a phone from their home country, in addition to a local phone
and possibility also a work phone. Embellishing mobiles with crystals or opting for gold or silver
phones are just one way that consumers try to differentiate their devices from the rest. According
to a 2013 Gulf News reports the telecom sector has recently introduced mobile number portability,
which will allow for greater choice for mobile phone consumers who can now shift between
providers and will likely drive demand for new handsets. The fact that users have multiple mobile
devices is the fact that providers now offer multi-SIM cards that can be used to have the same
mobile number for multiple devices. The fact that mobile connectivity is available in many parts of
the UAE desert is testament to the importance that consumers place on technology.
The annual report of the International Telecommunication Union called Measuring the Information
Society 2013 stated that the UAE was the biggest mover on the list, rising 12 places up the
international table of information and communications technology. In the UAE, all things electronic
are popular amongst all residents and the annual GITEX consumer computer and electronics trade
show is an important event for professionals and consumers alike.
According to a 2014 Gulf News report: ICT spending in the UAE is expected to grow around five
per cent to cross the $15 billion mark in 2014, up from $14.3 billion in 2013. Furthermore, with
the push to use mobile devices as the key contact point between citizens and government
institutions, Mobile government is a leading strategic priority for the Dubai Government for the
future, clearly, technology plays an important role for all citizens. Whether it is the expat watching
a programme from home, an Emirati tracking a falcon in the desert, or citizens paying their traffic
fines online, the consumption of electronics is significant and unlikely to halt any time soon. We
know that in Arabic countries, social media and communication is super-hot, more so than
anywhere else. It is something that is standing out and they have made us think of social media
integration and user experience, said Dennis van Schie, the senior vice-president and head of
sales and marketing at Sony Mobile Communications.
Keeping up with friends, family and colleagues via Skype, Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin, are
popular pastimes for expats and Nationals alike. Emirates 24/7 (2013) reports that His Highness
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, holds a Twitter world leader ranking of 7th in 2013 with
2.4 million followers. The Telegraph (2011) commented that social media was invaluable for
expats and this is still the case. In the Middle East for example, 68 per cent of expats said they
visited the site [Facebook], compared to only eight per cent of local people. Social media is used
to keep in touch with people overseas, or next door and enables new arrivals to the country to
make friends. A survey by the ArabAdvisors Group which looked at media consumption habits in
the UAE of over 18s revealed Facebook was the most popular platform with 80.8% of respondents
having an account.

The high expat population in the UAE and the transitory nature of the place means that orientation,
social networking and relocation services have remained big business. For example: Forums such
as Expatwoman.com, Expatforum.com, ExpatsBlog.com are popular for anything from advice for
newbies to recommendations for a plumber or gardener. The searching of active forums such as
Expatwoman and such mediums provide an important role in helping people find their feet, and
find information in a new country.
Entertaining at home is a popular activity for many well-off residents, especially given the fact that
many live in large properties. Many residents have access to a swimming pool, either in their
apartment complex, in their villas garden, or at a community development pool. This means that,
unlike other countries where access to a swimming pool means a visit to a hotel or public facility,
many affluent people have it on tap, which means many people do not have to travel far at all to
enjoy a swim.
Striking a balance between technology and time off-line.
Technology and the on-line world are taking up more and more time for users. There is heavy
reliance on social media and news, email and internet, particularly in a country with such a large
percentage of expats who are keeping up with people and places outside of the UAE. Many people
have two or more mobile phones, in addition to tablets and other devices. Streamlining the number
of devices through facilities like multi-sim cards, will help to reduce the amount of technology that
users must carry on a daily basis. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy talks of screen slaves,
and people in the UAE are certainly glued to their screens. Time Out Dubai said in 2012 that in
2011 there were 11 million mobile phone subscribers in the UAE. Dr Amy Bailey, a Dubai based
clinical psychologist comments on the addiction to smart phones and talks of the obsessional
behaviour of continually checking social sites for updates. Clearly there needs to be a balance
struck between the real and online world and no more so, than in the UAE where mobile devices
and technology are a national obsession.
Going Out
Many factors, such as nationality, age, gender, and finances, have an influence on the amount of
leisure time available and how it is used. There are also differences depending on where in the
Emirate people reside, with most events taking place in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
Despite the cross country diversity, the UAE is, in general, a country of events and they manage to
pull them off pretty well for the most part. There are often criticisms in the press from attendees
over transport issues, ticket prices and lack of organisation, but it does not seem to stop people
attending. The following is quite common: Traffic chaos around the Palm Jumeirah caused
hundreds to miss the Sandance concert on New Years Eve. (The National, 2014).
With so many options for entertainment in the UAE, there can be problems for businesses such as
bars and restaurants to find a USP and draw in customers. A bad experience means that customers
are unlikely to return, as they can just try somewhere else. What is clear since the economic crash
is that the facilities that offer good quality and service continue to be very busy, whereas the
mediocre establishments struggle. The Entertainer voucher booklet which offers discounts to
eateries and bars is a popular purchase for expat residents and discount festivals such as the
Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) and the Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) aim to encourage people to
shop, shop, shop.
A very popular event that is cheap to attend and very well attended is the Global Village in Dubai,
which is a large cultural, entertainment and shopping destination which offers retail from around
the world, together with fairground rides and games, fireworks and family entertainment. It is
particularly popular with Nationals, and is open during the winter months. This type of event which
offers a variety of different options in one place, for all ages, and open late into the night is a good
example of what the locals seem to like. The whole family like to stay out late together and it is not
at all unusual to see large families, with small children included, in the Malls, especially on the
weekend when many of the Malls stay open until midnight.

In recent years there has been an increased interest in book clubs and reading groups, with the
annual literary festival and the associated visits from famous authors creating a buzz in Dubai and
surrounding areas. Regular events like the Rugby 7s, Cricket, Golf, World Cup Horse racing, and
concerts and festivals attract much media attention and are well attended by residents.
People going out are willing to pay extra (a considerable amount extra in some cases) for
something extra, whether it is a VIP, or Platinum service/ ticket/ seat, money is splashed on setting
the experience apart from the ordinary and standard offerings. In a country where residents are
willing to spend out for something extra that separates them from the masses, such as shorter
queues, better views or seating, there are no end of options conjured up to fulfil their desire for
something special. Events provide VIP areas, Businesses provide VIP services and Cinemas have
Gold seating, and there seems no end of people willing to pay for it. For those with money, going
out is about going out in style and with Arabian Business (2013) reporting the fact that the UAEs
number of millionaires is expected to have grown 13.5 per cent by the end of 2013.
Residents get their walking shoes on
Walking is popular in the UAE when the weather allows, which is half of the year. The hot summers
mean that a dash between car and home and office is about as much walking as most people
want. For those that have to walk, such as people walking their dogs, it is done so very early or
late, when the pavements have cooled down just enough to allow pets to walk without burning
their feet. A report inEmirates 24/7 demonstrates how some areas like Ajman, do have streets
suitable for pedestrians, but in Cities such a Dubai, which are not pedestrian friendly due to the
multi-lane highways and lack of footways, walking takes place around residential areas such as
those in Arabian Ranches in Dubai where small lakes are popular for those wishing to walk, and the
beach promenades such as Jumeirah Beach Residence walk. One Dubai resident sums it up: I
think it is the best environment to be motivated for walking outdoors. When the weather is right,
one is always tempted to roam around the lakes and enjoy the fresh air as it is full of greenery.
People really do like to get out and stretch their legs, but for some it is the only form of transport
available to them. Facilities for pedestrians have certainly improved over the years in an effort to
improve safety, but it is still common to see people trying to run across busy roads and to see
pedestrians and motorists mingling on busy streets and thus for some residents, walking is a
leisure pursuit, for others it is a daily grind of simply getting about as cheaply as possible.
Sport and Fitness
The UAE has a climate that is not conducive to all year round outside sport, with hot and humid
summers posing significant problems to the hosting of major outdoor sporting events in the
summer months. Despite this fact, there are many sports that are popular amongst residents, such
as golf (which is popular amongst affluent expats, equestrian sports (show jumping, endurance,
horse racing and dressage, with show jumping and endurance being particularly popular with UAE
Nationals), falconry and hunting is a local tradition, rugby is popular with the expats. Other popular
sports in the UAE are Football and Cricket (both watching and playing), along with camel racing,
tennis, shooting, basketball, swimming, hockey, volleyball and various water sports. Some also
jokingly say that shopping is also a favourite sport in the country and certainly the number of malls
would pay testament to this. It is also possible to ice skate and ski inside some malls, and thus
there really is no limit to the sports available. Many golf clubs and bars show sports events on their
TVs, and there are many subscription sports channels via satellite that allow residents to follow
sport from the Middle East and beyond.
There are the number of golf courses spanning the Emirates with a particular concentration in Abu
Dhabi and Dubai. The annual Desert Classic Tournament which attracts the big names in golf is a
popular televised event.
Equestrian and Polo facilities are also fairly widely available. Many expats and nationals enjoy
horse riding and the Arab love of horses is well documented, as demonstrated by Sheikh
Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who says that a love of horses runs in my blood and it is well
known that horses have played a very important role in Arab history. Equestrian and polo activities
come at a significant cost, due partly to the difficulties and associated expense with keeping

horses healthy in a hot climate and the associated air conditioning and special facilities that this
necessitates. In a country that builds air conditioned stables and arenas and provides vast
expanses of irrigated grass for polo pitches, it gives the feeling that anything is possible.
A fairly recent phenomenon has been the increased interest in road cycling, which has seen the
construction of new facilities such as the new (and very popular) track at Al Qudra Road in Dubai.
The Road and Transport Authority in Dubai have committed to a 850km Bicycle Master Plan for
Dubai, which demonstrates the importance of this activity and also points to the potential dangers
of cycling on the busy Dubai roads. In addition to new tracks, there are shops, clubs, websites and
events such as the annual Dubai 92km Cycle Challenge. A report in Time Out Dubai (2013) talks of
everyone going barmy for cycling in Dubai and it certainly seems that way. The 2012 Dubai 92
Cycle Challenge attracted over 1,000 competitors and the 2013 UAE National Day Cycle Marathon
which went from Dubai to Abu Dhabi saw another 1,000 cyclists.
Another activity which has gained popularity in the UAE is road running, with a number of
organised marathons, running groups, and organised events such as running at the Yas Marina
Circuit which takes place during the cooler winter months. The residents really do love to make the
most of the weather and get active.
The number of newly built sports facilities, such as Sports City, Yas Marina Circuit, The Sevens
Stadium, and the Dubai Autodrome all demonstrate the importance placed on sport participation
and watching in the country. Add to this the number of Gyms, health clubs, personal trainers and
sports shops and it is clear that fitness plays an important role in the work hard play hard culture.
Middle East Online reports that New figures from DMG events Middle East have revealed that
residents are following doctor's orders with 60% taking part in some type of sporting activity at
least three times a week.
As a result of the hot climate and consumers desire to keep the weight off there are new sport and
fitness options popping up everywhere, along with some rather off the wall remedies such as mall
walking, (for when it is too hot outside), toning footwear, and activity measuring wristbands.
With the current focus on health and fitness and with many having disposable income, the need for
activities that can address identified health issues (in some cases with as little exertion as
possible), people are willing to throw money at having the latest technology that allows them to
monitor how well they are doing. Whether calorie consumed, step counting, distance cycled or
sleep taken, consumers want to know how they are doing and also how they compare to others.
The interest in sport is not limited to those who can afford to pay for it either, with labour camps
housing Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi workers with a passion for cricket, the interest in sport
transcends wealth and nationality. When the cricketer Shoaib Akhtar visited he received a very
positive response: The enthusiasm we have seen already from players and supporters alike during
my visit has been amazing as has the standard of cricket! Ive already met over 23,000 fans this
week, and its fantastic to see such passion for the game of cricket among the communities.
Cycling gains popularity
Cycling is the new obsession in the UAE, with new bike shops and places to cycle popping up, along
with new clubs and groups. Many people taking up the sport for the first time, and now that there
are a number of cycle routes which address the safety issue, it is set to increase in popularity. Gulf
News reported in 2013 how Dubai has already taken the initiative by building several cycle paths in
the emirate as part of Dubai Bicycle Master Plan. In August, the Roads and Transport Authority
announced the completion of the construction of 104 kilometres of dedicated cycle paths.
Similarly, Abu Dhabi has worked on improving cycling conditions as part of the Plan Abu Dhabi
2030, backed by awareness campaigns for other road users. Anecdotal evidence from cyclists
suggests that it is a sport that is currently popular amongst expat males, with perhaps 80% of
those cycling regularly for fitness and competition being males. Fewer women undertake the sport
currently, but there are more women getting involved, especially perhaps as it is an activity that is
often done in groups, which make women feel safer. It is currently rare to see an Arab man or
woman partaking in this activity. Talking of the UAE National Day cycle marathon, which saw 1,000
participants cycle from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, the head of Government Communication and the

organiser of the event said: It is wonderful to see more expatriates than Emiratis participating in
the event. We chose cycling because we want to promote an active lifestyle as it fits in with the
vision of Shaikh Hamdan. Expatwoman forum also promote cycling as a way to keep fit and
socialise: Cycle Safe Dubai was set up as a way to get cyclists off the couch and back onto their
bikes, Cycle Safe Dubai regularly take over the track and encourage all Runners, Walkers, Joggers
and Cyclist's to make use of the safest place in Dubai to exercise, Whether youre a Pro or a first
timer the track is the best place to get back into the sports you love and be outdoors.
Vacations
In terms of outgoing tourism, it can be seen that there has been a modest increase in spending per
capita in accommodation, entertainment, excursions, food, shopping and travel since 2010, but in
all cases consumer spending has yet to reach the pre-economic crash levels.
The summer months see a mass exodus of Western expats and Nationals. Many expat wives take
their children out of the UAE during the hottest months of July and August, often leaving behind
their working husbands for most of the period. Nationals often travel to cooler climates during this
period too. For example: each summer sees a huge influx of Arab nationals into London. Many
people choose to escape the heat, and those that are left have the consolation that everywhere is
quiet and the roads are less busy. ...its got to be one of the weirdest things about expat life in the
UAE can you imagine your wife disappearing off with the children for a quarter of the year, every
year, back home? according to one expat.
For those left in the UAE during the hottest months, there are usually many offers for getaways
within the country, with hotels offering deals at their quieter times. A complaint of those left
behind during this period, is how to keep the children amused. With schools closed and the
weather too hot, it means that parents are reliant on indoor activities to keep their kids busy. In
recent years there has been an increase in organised events and summer clubs for children. Time
Out Dubai (2013) lists their best selection which includes everything from football to cooking.
Expatwoman talks about staycations being the answer to the summer holidays, identifying the
reduced cost and stress as selling points.
For many Western expats, Christmas time was a period often spent travelling to their home
country to spend time with their families, now however, things seem to be changing, with recent
comments by the Editor of Expatwoman stating that 3 out of 4 expats now spend Christmas in the
UAE: The Christmas tradition has really grown in the UAE over the years. The country has
established itself as a destination where the world comes together to celebrate. Many restaurants
in the UAE offer Christmas dinner packages and also take-out dinners, allowing people to avoid
cooking and still serve a dinner at home.
Public Holidays, Celebrations and Gift-giving
The UAE is a melting pot of nationalities and as such there are many celebrations which are either
noteworthy or that attract a public holiday. In many ways, the UAE is a country of celebrations and
it is renowned across the role for its lavish celebrations, such as the biggest display of fireworks on
1st January 2014. The first thing to understand is that the holidays for the public and private sector
can be different. The Government announces the holidays for the public sector (these are
announced throughout the year due to the differences between the Gregorian and Islamic calendar
and the fact that the latter relies on moon sighting for certain religious holidays). The private
sector holidays are often less than for the public sector. Public holidays and celebrations include:
New Years Day, The Prophet Muhammads (PBUH) birthday, Israa and Miraj night, Ramadan, Eid Al
Fitr, Arafat Day, Eid Al Adha, Hijri New Year, and the UAE National Day.
Events like Mothers and Fathers Day (different for USA and Europe), Christmas festival, Easter,
Valentines Day, Halloween, Diwali are celebrated in a commercial sense, with the usual cards and
meals, and trees, and eggs available for purchase. Having the opportunity to buy a fresh Canadian
spruce Christmas tree and an English turkey and Christmas pudding in a desert nation is somewhat
bizarre, but is merely an example of how expats are enabled to celebrate as they normally would,
albeit with an emphasis on the commercial.

Gift giving in the UAE is as wide and varied as the population: The number of shoppers is
expected to be boosted as tourists from China, Russia and Europe escape freezing temperatures to
enjoy a winter break. Shoppers have been buying everything from widescreen televisions to
jewellery and other luxury goods, either as treats for themselves or others. (The National, 2013).
Therefore, it can be seen that Christmas shopping (for example) is not just about buying presents,
it is about everyone (whether resident or tourist) taking advantage of deals.
Gifts in demand from kids include iPads (18%) and mobiles (16%). Yet old favourites such as Lego
and Barbie still hold their place under the tree, at 23% and 12% respectively according to 7-Days
in 2013.
Celebration cards are swapped for most of the standard Western celebration days and Christian
festivals. Christmas is a big celebration and when out in the shopping malls, it would be easy to
forget you were actually in the Middle East. Decorations and gifts abound, and there are very few
things that cannot be purchased during the festive season. In contrast, Ramadan is a time where
Muslim families come together to break their daylight hours of fasting with Iftar and start their
fasting with Suhoor. These are special meals eaten to break the fast and prepare for it and most
restaurants offer their own take on these daily events during the holy month of Ramadan. Many
residents join the Iftar celebration and it is an opportunity for all nationalities to come together.
The UAE national day, which celebrates the independence of the country and is marked by car
parades, celebrations in schools and malls, is a popular annual event. Flags and commemorative
memorabilia are sold and the people come together to celebrate the spirit of the union. New
Years Eve is also a big celebration with many party options, decorations, fireworks and fancy
dress. The key point for all of the major celebrations is that they are commercially significant and
partaken with gusto by large numbers of people.
Summer staycations
Gulf News noted in 2013 how more residents were choosing to take staycations: The rising cost
of living and the inflated prices of airline tickets and hotels in major tourist destinations are
prompting many people to stay put and explore budget-friendly options at home. UAE-based travel
agents, hotels and other recreation and leisure providers say they are seeing a healthy demand
from people wanting to get some rest and relaxation without venturing too far. The trend to stay
in the UAE during the hottest months is a new phenomena and shows a move away from the well
documented mass exodus of residents during July and August every year.
Table 8 Leisure and Recreation Data 2000, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015

Ownership of household
durables by type
- Colour TV set (% of
households)
- Cable TV (% of
households)
- Satellite TV system
(% of households)
- Internet enabled
computer (% of
households)
- Mobile telephone (%
of households)

2000

2005

2010

2011

2012

2015

99.3

99.7

99.9

99.9

99.9

99.9

0.6

0.9

1.0

1.0

1.0

1.0

77.6

93.0

98.0

98.2

98.3

98.6

23.1

30.4

65.0

67.0

72.0

76.2

74.1

91.3

99.1

99.3

99.5

99.8

- Video games console

(% of households)
Consumer expenditure on
leisure and recreation
(AED Mn, at constant
prices)
- Audio-Visual,
photographic and
information processing
equipment
- Other major durables
for recreation and culture
- Other recreational
items and equipment,
gardens and pets
- Recreational and
cultural services
- Newspapers,
magazines, books and
stationery
- Package holidays
Domestic tourism
receipts and expenditure
(AED
Mn, at constant prices)
- Accommodation
- Entertainment
- Excursions
- Food
- Shopping
Outgoing tourism
receipts and expenditure
- Accommodation
- Entertainment
- Excursions
- Food
- Shopping
Departures by mode of

2000
22.1

2005
28.2

2010
32.1

2011
32.7

2012
33.3

2015
34.6

5,624

6,259

3,794

3,778

4,599

5,455

361

899

1,549

1,665

1,659

1,897

159

398

715

772

771

889

481

1,220

2,221

2,399

2,398

2,765

439

1,134

2,126

2,285

2,292

2,643

672

1,721

3,095

3,342

3,330

3,804

14,78
8
1,332
1,462
2,417
2,338

27,40
1
1,382
1,397
2,630
2,777

22,16
4
3,623
4,157
5,111
6,904

23,47
2
3,921
4,446
5,426
7,270

24,96
8
4,343
4,796
5,796
7,718

30,91
9
6,171
6,274
7,021
9,475

5,330
3,590
2,556
4,025
4,460

6,340
3,747
2,968
4,506
6,437

6,661
3,627
3,071
4,713
6,975

6,716
3,679
3,131
4,773
7,081

6,788
3,748
3,204
4,860
7,225

7,208
3,969
3,401
5,380
7,741

2000

2005

2010

2011

2012

2015

1,955. 3,044. 2,327.

8
6
9
140.5 238.2 169.8
1,961.
25.0
36.0
4

2,508.
1
185.4
2,131.
5

2,737.
4
204.8
2,321.
8

3,614.
2
281.4
3,078.
1

32

32

n/a

transport
- Air ('000)
- Land ('000)
- Sea ('000)
Demand factors
- Annual leave
entitlement (days)

32

32

Source: National statistics, Euromonitor International

Chart 8 Percentage of Households in Possession of Cable TV; Satellite TV System;

Internet Enabled Computer; Mobile Telephone; Video Games Console 2000-2015

Source: Euromonitor International

GETTING AROUND
Private Transport
The car is king and despite the 2008 economic meltdown, both the possession of passenger cars
as a % per household and the passenger cars in use rose steadily from 2000. Cars are not just a
mode of transport, but a status symbol. Very cheap fuel equates to large engine cars, such as
4x4s, the norm for many people, and with many preferring the car above all other transport
options, and as a result the roads are busy and hectic. The love of speed is demonstrated by the
Dubai Police who are now famous across the world for their performance police cars: While the
Brabus G-Wagen is the epitome of over-the-top tuning, it will look positively mundane compared to
some of the other cars in the Dubai Police motor pool, which includes a Lamborghini Aventador,
Aston Martin One-77, and even a Bugatti Veyron. (Motor Authority, 2013).
There are very few small cars on the roads, and it is not unusual for residents to have to worry
about finding parking spaces big enough to house their monsters, as opposed to finding a space at
all. The National reports in 2012: When [X] visits a mall in his pickup truck, he looks for two free
parking spots instead of just one. As the owner of a Chevrolet Silverado 2500, which is bigger than
the average parking space, he often has problems finding somewhere to park. Residents can, and
do, embellish their performance cars with bling and it could be said that for many people the car
is much more than a mode of transport it is an entertainment.
Bicycle and motorcycle ownership is much lower than car ownership at only around 10% and 13%
respectively and as a % of households although the numbers are growing. Bicycles are used by
some as part of their sport and fitness and by others as a necessary means of transport, and
similarly with motorbikes, where the larger engine bikes are leisure toys for some residents, and
the moped and smaller engine bikes are used for fast food delivery and purely for getting from A to
B. One clear issue with opting to use such modes of transport is the climate, which makes it
uncomfortable to use them in the summer. Anyone who is in a position to choose will opt for
transport that comes with air conditioning, which is another reason for the popularity of cars.
Riding a bicycle of motorcycle in 45+ degrees C is not for everyone.
Mobile technology means that multi-tasking while driving is a big problem. The Dubai Police
reported that 44,000 people were fined in Dubai in 2013 for speaking, texting or emailing while
driving. Obviously drivers are encouraged to use hands free mobiles, but as the reliance on apps

increases, so will the need for voice control to enable people to fully interact with their device
without actually having to touch it.
Public Transport
The public transport system differs depending on which Emirate, with some offering more
advanced options than others. For example: Dubai consists of taxi, metro, and bus, along with a
selection of marine transportation services (such as water taxis and Abras), whereas Sharjah has a
bus and taxi service. There are currently no operational rail systems in the UAE, but there is a
planned system which is due for completion in 2018. Gulf news reports that: The UAE railway will
connect with the sources of raw materials, industrial areas, ports and major population centres,
says Etihad Rail, and will be built in three phases, the first of which will be a 266km-long western
stretch between Al Ruwais and Shah. The Shah-Habshan-Ruwais freight line is being built in
collaboration with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc). There is also a planned tram system
currently underway in Dubai and due to be operational by the end of 2014.
The cost of an ordinary taxi (as opposed to an airport or Ladies taxi) in Dubai is AED3 per km
travelled plus an opening fare, for daytime travel before 10pm. The cost of the metro/bus for a one
day pass for any zone is AED14.
In a country where public transport options are limited and fuel is cheap, the car is the option for
most people, even for those who are earning lower wages. It is common knowledge that fuel is
cheap: Petrol is AED1.72 per litre and diesel is around AED3.50 per litre. The price of petrol is
capped by federal legislation, but diesel is not restricted in the same way. The National reported in
2013 how car sales were leaving other countries behind: While the GCC does not possess a
sizeable domestic automobile manufacturing [sector], its high national wealth driven by favourable
oil prices and high demand has created a niche and presents enormous untapped opportunities.
Other options for travel include services like Safe Driver and Smart Driver which allow for
people to drive to their destination and then, having consumed alcohol (or for whatever reason) a
driver will be dropped off at a pre-arranged time to drive them home in their own car. The driver is
then collected from the drop-off point. Interestingly, there has been a growing demand for
chauffeur driven cars, used instead of taxis, these services aim to offer consumers better customer
service and reliability. The owner of one company Careem was quoted in Gulf News in 2013 as
saying: Currently, our volumes are split almost equally between business and consumer demand.
In terms of growth, we are seeing a top-line increase of between 30 per cent and 40 per cent
month-on-month. The services of Careem can be booked via a smartphone app, making it an ideal
option for those who prefer to use the smartphone, rather than make a call. It is only be a matter a
time before the UAE has an app to track taxis, like the ones used in London.
Commuting
Commuting in the UAE comes in a variety of forms, and for school age children it involves either
being dropped off by a parent or private driver in a private car, or being collected by school bus.
Children are rarely seen walking or cycling to school, as they would be in other countries because
for much of the year, the weather is not conducive and the distances are too great. The school
buses in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are bright yellow and a common feature on the roads and
developments around the cities in the mornings and afternoons. The National notes that in 2013
how Abu Dhabi has more than 1,500 buses for public-school pupils and nearly 2,000 for private
schools. Half the fleet has been modified to comply with new Abu Dhabi Department of Transport
safety regulations, with the rest to be completed by this time next year. School bus fees are
reported to be between AED400 and AED800 per month/per child.
The roads of the UAE can be hazardous for cyclists and as a result of the potential danger and also,
of course, the cost of fuel, most people choose to drive to work. But more recently, some workers
has chosen to travel in Dubai on the metro and bus system, to avoid the peak hour gridlock in the
city, but as the network is not yet totally connected for the entire city, there is still a heavy reliance
on the car and taxi.

Emirates 24/7 reported how in 2013: This year in September, Dubai Metro entered its fifth year of
operation. Circa 2013, it serves two lines, 46 stations and has served more than 300 million
passengers since its inception. On November 28, the day after Dubai won the right to host World
Expo 2020, Dubai Metro served its second largest number of passengers ever; on this day, 530,395
commuters travelled by the Metro. With a difference of little more than 50,000, this was close to
the record-breaking New Years Eve of 2012.
The Government of Dubai promotes a smartcard called a NOL card that allows users to pay for
various modes of public transport and paid parking. It is also possible to pay for parking using a
mobile phone. A toll exists on some highways in Dubai and this is called Salik and requires every
vehicle to display a sticker in order for the system to deduct money from the account on certain
specified routes around the city.
There are many benefits in living close to the workplace, but as rents have risen in Dubai and Abu
Dhabi, some people have chosen to move to Sharjah and further afield and commute for more
than an hour each way to make significant savings in rent. For example, a report in Gulf News in
2013 highlighted the practice of reverse relocation which is the trend of moving out of cities like
to Dubai to cheaper alternatives. The sharp rise in rents over the last year has seen many Dubai
residents move base to Sharjah, Ajman and even beyond. This migration is despite Sharjah itself
witnessing a steady rise in rentals. This increase is a direct result of hiked rents across Dubai,
which has sparked a reverse relocation trend, with budget-sensitive tenants seeking out more
affordable accommodation in the next emirate. Many people undertook the daily commute from
Dubai to Abu Dhabi, preferring to live in Dubai, but changes to the rules by the Abu Dhabi
Government in 2012 meant that State employees must live within the city limits to be eligible for
the housing allowance. For those people who choose to live in Sharjah and commute to Dubai, the
stories of traffic problems at specific bottle necks around the city are common. As a result of the
traffic problems Sharjah is developing a master plan for traffic and transport in the Emirate by
2015.
Air Travel
Despite the crash in 2008, the number of passengers carried by scheduled airlines shows an
increase from 2000, with sharp increases between 2000 and 2005 and 2010.
The location of the UAE in relation to other countries, makes it an excellent choice as both a
stopover point for worldwide travellers and a starting point to reach many destinations in a
relatively short time. With 1/3 of the worlds population living within 4 hours flight of Dubai, and
2/3 living within 8 hours, the UAE is a strategic hub for all types of business and pleasure.
Dubai International Airport now ranks as the second busiest airport in the world in terms of
international passengers, according to the Airports Council International (ACI). The National in 2013
reported how Abu Dhabi, also a major hub, was recognised as the "Best Airport for the Middle East
Region" by the ACI.
Dubai Airport reported in 2012 how its network grew in 2012 to serve in excess of 260 destinations
via 140 airlines. India was identified as the airports biggest destination country (in passenger
numbers), while South America was the fastest expanding market in terms of percentage growth.
Saudi Arabia was a major growth market, making it the airports third biggest country-specific
market after the UK.
The opening of a new airport in Dubai in 2013, called Al Maktoum International, means that there
are now two airports in Dubai, and an international airport in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah and also small
airports in Ras Al Khamah and Fujairah.
The low cost airline options in the UAE have expanded in recent years and their popularity has
been well documented. The rise of budget airlines in the GCC is no exception and may be due, in
part, to the strategic location that makes the UAE so well placed to access many other countries
with relatively short flight times.
Car is king of transport

Residents of the UAE dont like to be kept waiting. Getting where they are going without the hassle
of waiting and queung is important, and people will pay a premium to reduce the hassle to a
minimum and maximise the comfort. Whether it be Gold Class on the Dubai Metro, business class
travel on the airlines and VIP taxis.
In a country where fuel is cheap there are few incentives to ditching the car as the preferred mode
of transport. Areas of the country where there are alternatives to driving, such as the Dubai Metro,
allows travellers to make a choice and balance cost against time and convenience. Yet despite the
affordabilty of such options, most people still choose the car, expecially for longer journeys that
would require switching from one transport type to another.
Table 9 Transport Data: 2000, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015

(AED Mn, at constant

prices)
Consumer expenditure
on
transport services
- Consumer
expenditure
on rail travel
- Consumer
expenditure
on buses, coaches and
taxis
- Consumer
expenditure
on air travel
- Consumer
expenditure
on other travel
Possession of bicycle
(% of households)
Possession of
motorcycle (% of
households)
Possession of
passenger
car (% of households)
Km travelled by air (km
per capita)
Passenger cars in use
('000)
Scheduled airlines:

2000

2005

2010

2011

2012

2015

28,20
8,740 14,340 21,115 22,348 23,602 5

386

633

931

985

1,042

1,248

1,605 2,508

3,816

3,993

4,187

4,920

5,892 9,849

19,41
14,414 15,297 16,184 9

858

1,350

1,955

2,072

2,190

2,618

6.8

9.5

10.3

10.3

10.4

10.4

10.0

11.6

12.7

12.9

13.0

13.4

95.6

96.8

97.6

97.8

97.9

98.2

7,676 20,638 21,703 23,834 26,030

.6
.0
.2
.3
.6
n/a
745

1,158

1,882

2,038

2,222

n/a

6,893 19,762 44,775 49,481 54,476 n/a

(AED Mn, at constant

prices)
Passengers carried
('000)

2000

2005

2010

2011

2012

2015

Source: National statistics, Euromonitor International

Chart 9 Real Growth in Consumer Expenditure Compared with Real Growth in Consumer
Expenditure on Transport Services and Purchase of Cars, Motorcycles and other
Vehicles 2000-2015