The adoption of an organic diet has been revving up across the UAE, becoming the fastest-growing food trend across the country, according to a recent Statistica survey.
Eighty per cent of consumers surveyed in the UAE reported their preference for organic foods.
This increasing demand has driven prices down, turning what used to be an unaffordable luxury into an affordable option for many.
In response, supermarkets across the country have been expanding their organic aisles, with Lulu Group, Union Coops and Al Maya taking the lead, according to a report by TechSci market research.
Thus, the UAE has become a fertile ground for organic grocery stores.
The retail segment of locally-grown organic food is expected to surpass $50 million in the UAE by 2025 – resulting in a remarkable surge of 25 per cent.
A key impetus for this health-conscious shift in alimentary habits is the consumer’s profound knowledge about their health, food and the environment.
The trend is mainly driven by millennials who are more inclined to stray from conventional food canons compared to the previous generation of consumers.
Thanks to the heightened concerns about the detrimental impact of pesticides on the planet and the potential GMO toxicity for humans, UAE millennials are likely to avoid buying fruits and vegetables contaminated with synthetic fertilisers.
According to the UAE Organic Food Market report by TechSci market research, the UAE government is embracing the trend and expediting the certification process to ensure that local organic fruits and vegetables meet international farming standards.
The UAE organic food market segment is anticipated to grow exponentially through 2027, spurred by an uptick in various lifestyle-related diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity and diabetes. Increased transparency around farming practices also prompted consumers to shop sustainably and locally.
According to Mordor Intelligence research, the global organic food and beverages market was expected to register a compound annual growth rate of 16.44 per cent between 2020 and 2025.
