Dubai’s market for apparel and footwear is estimated to reach $13.5 billion this year, and is on track to grow at a CAGR of 6.6 per cent until 2020, when sales are forecast to hit $17 billion, a report said.

The market, estimated to be currently worth $12.8 billion, has been registering 5.5 per cent annual growth in sales since 2010, added the report by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry based on data from Euromonitor International.

The category is mainly composed of apparel, footwear and sportswear, with apparel leading total sales in both areas of value and growth rate.

Apparel sector in Dubai is valued at $10.4 billion, recording compound annual growth rate of 5.8 per cent. The report however stated that sales of the maturing segments of footwear and sportswear have flattened in recent years, and are roughly estimated at $2.4 billion and $1 billion, respectively. Supply has kept pace with rising demand, as retail space expansion continued in 2015 with the launch of new malls and new brands, it said.

The findings of the report were released during the World Retail Congress being held in Dubai from April 12 to 14.

“Growing economic prosperity, steady population growth, and rising incomes are driving sales in major retail segments of Dubai,” said Hamad Buamim, president and CEO of Dubai Chamber.

“Dubai Chamber’s sectoral report highlights the vibrancy of Dubai’s retailing industry and its contribution to the overall economy. The report represents Dubai Chamber’s commitment to supporting the development of businesses, and our efforts to promote Dubai as an international business hub.”

The Dubai Chamber report points out that while Dubai is known as a leading luxury shopping destination in the region and a major hub for premium brands, mid-priced brands are also starting to gain popularity. This could be attributed to the rise in the numbers of budget-minded tourists who seek to stretch their dollars, it said.

At the same time international brands have launched new stores in the city to cater to the fashion conscious consumers, and setting sights on regional growth after getting a feel of the Middle East fashion taste and needs through their presence in Dubai, the report said.

Dubai Chamber expects positive consumer confidence and increased tourist spending to continue to drive growth for Dubai retail activity in the medium term.

Sales under the Apparel sub-segment are forecast to keep expanding at a faster pace of 6.9 per cent annually to exceed $14 billion by 2020; whereas modest growth will be seen in the sales of footwear and sport, which are forecast to expand by CAGR of 5 per cent and 5.6 per cent, to reach $3 billion and $1.3 billion respectively, by the end of the forecast period.

Consumer electronics

The report said sales of consumer electronics in Dubai are estimated to be worth $2.4 billion after expanding at a CAGR of 8.9 per cent during the past five years. Portable consumer electronics was worth $930 million, computers and peripherals worth $902 million, in-home consumer electronics $621 million and in-car entertainment worth $22 million, it said.

According to the report, the market for consumer electronics is gradually shifting towards more compact and multifunctional devices, particularly those offering internet connectivity. As a result, Items such as tablets and smartphones are enjoying solid growth in sales. Significantly, the increasing quality, processing power, and range of applications offered by these devices are taking market share from many other items, such as digital cameras, portable mp3 players, DVD players, laptops and desktops.

The report forecast that Dubai consumer electronics market size will grow at 4.7 per cent over the next five years to exceed $3 billion by 2020. It said the portable consumer electronics sub-category is expected to keep its lead with a 2020 sales forecast of $1.27 billion.

Computers and peripherals sub-category is forecast to retain its size at $937 million. While in-home consumer electronics are expected to gain some traction to reach $900 million; no growth will take place under in-car entertainment sub-category with a sales forecast of $23 million, it said.

In terms of future growth, in-home consumer electronics is forecast to lead the 4 sub-categories with a CAGR of 7.6 per cent between 2015 and 2020, and portable consumer electronics is forecast to follow with a CAGR of 6.4 per cent. Growth is set to cool off in the computer and peripherals category with a forecast CAGR of 0.9 per cent; while In-car entertainment is only expected to retain its size with a CAGR of 0.7 per cent over the forecast period, the report said.

Consumer appliances

Dubai’s market for consumer appliances is estimated to have grown at a CAGR of 8.2 per cent from $390 million back in 2010 to reach an estimated $585 million in 2015.  The Dubai Chamber report said that the strong growth seen in sales volume of consumer appliances is driven by two major trends, namely, a gradual move from renting to home ownership as well as a shift from unfurnished to semi-furnished property sales. The rising population in the country is also contributing to growth; and demand for certain product types receives strong support from tourism as well, it said.

Sales of consumer appliances in Dubai are expected to grow at steady CAGR of 4.4 per cent to hit $725 million by 2020. The growth in sales of major-appliances is expected to outpace that of small-appliances at a CAGR of 6.13 per cent against CAGR of 2.83 per cent for the latter, which have historically held a larger share in total sales value. Sales of small appliances sub-segment made up almost 53 per cent of total consumer appliances sales in Dubai; however, this share is forecast to drop to 49 per cent by the end of the forecast period, the report said.

Beauty and personal care

The report valued Dubai’s beauty and personal care market at $1.2 billion, with 51 per cent of this figure coming from the mass beauty and personal care sub-category, which generated $616.8 million in sales in 2015. Premium beauty and personal care is another large contributor to this market, with sales reaching $449 million in 2015, effectively making up 37 per cent of the category’s total.

The report stated that the beauty and personal care market size is forecast to grow at 10 per cent over the next four years to reach $1.7 billion by 2019. The mass beauty and personal care sub-category will retain its lead with sales forecast to hit the $900 million mark by 2019, after growing at an expected CAGR of 9.9 per cent.

In terms of future growth, colour cosmetics followed by deodorants are set to expand at the fastest rates of 14.9 per cent and 14.3 per cent respectively to reach $215.9 million and $108 million in sales by 2019; meanwhile, the premium beauty and personal care sub-category is expected to boast robust growth at a CAGR of 10.9 per cent, as sales are forecast to reach $678 million by 2019.

Home and garden market

The report said that Dubai home and garden market has seen a relatively steady annual growth of 4.6 per cent over the past five years, and is currently estimated to be worth $1.5 billion. The home furnishing sub-segment contributes around 80 per cent of revenues for the entire category. Estimated at $1.2 billion in 2015, it has realized a steady 4.7 per cent growth annually since 2010.

The report pointed out that home and garden market in Dubai is expected to grow at a steady 6.9 per cent annually to hit $1.9 billion by 2019. Home furnishings sub-segment is expected to keep its dominance in the category with a forecast market value of $1.5 billion by 2019; which represents an effective CAGR of around 7 per cent.

Homewares sub-segment is forecast to grow at CAGR of 5.8 per cent and is set to surpass $199 million in value by 2019. Home improvement sub-segment is forecast to grow at CAGR of 6.5 per cent and hit $150 million in sales by 2019. Gardening sub-segment is forecast to reach $33 million by 2019 after growing at CAGR of 5.5 per cent.

Personal accessories

Dubai personal accessories market has enjoyed double digit annual growth with CAGR of 10.3 per cent over the past five years, and is currently estimated to be worth $4.1 billion. Over 53 per cent of the market is in the form of jewellery sales, which generated over $2.1 billion in 2015, effectively realizing a strong CAGR of 9.8 per cent during the previous five years.

Sales of watches, valued at $1.2 billion, hold the second highest share at 31 per cent of the total market. This sub-segment has also enjoyed healthy annual growth of 9.6 per cent since 2010. Bags and luggage sales are the 3rd largest contributor with sales estimated at $581 million, making up 14 per cent of the total market. This sub-segment has enjoyed the fastest growth pace in the entire category at a CAGR of 14.6 per cent. Dubai writing instruments sales have been growing at a more modest, yet steady rate of 5.1 per cent to reach $76 million in 2015.

Sales of personal accessories in Dubai are expected to grow at a strong CAGR of 12.9 per cent to hit $7.4 billion by 2020. Growth is expected to take place in all four sub-segments, with CAGR in the range of 7per cent to 16 per cent. – TradeArabia News Service