UAE among top Valentine’s Day spenders as men in Saudi Arabia get more gifts than ever

Dubai: UAE residents rank among the world’s top spenders on Valentine’s Day, a study has revealed. People in the Emirates spend an average of Dh 348.93 ($95) on Valentine’s Day gifts, according to Flowwow – a UAE-based gifting marketing place and Admitad, a partnership marketing platform.

The study also revealed that people in Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia are some of the region’s top spenders on Valentine’s gifts. Kuwaitis spend an average of Dh462.79 ($126) and lead the MENA region in Valentine’s Day gift sales by the average order value (AOV), with significant AOVs also seen in Qatar Dh271.8 ($74), Egypt Dh209.3 ($57), and KSA Dh106.5 ($49).
Boom in flower sales
Valentine’s Day also remains the biggest driver of flower sales, with purchases surging by 550 per cent and revenue rising by 635 per cent compared to the average month, according to the platform. Flowers remain Valentine’s Day’s most popular gift category (with 93 per cent of total purchases). Moreover, the average order value for the flower bouquets in the UAE stood at Dh275 ($74.8).

“The UAE and MENA region stand out for their deep-rooted culture of expressing love through meaningful gestures. This year, we predict a significant 15 per cent rise in gifting sales for Valentine’s Day, one of the biggest shopping peaks of the year, with a notable 10 per cent increase specifically in the confectionery category,” said Slava Bogdan, CEO of Flowwow.

The MENA region is also experiencing a growing trend in the confectionery and bakery categories, following the international popularity of candies, accounting for 56 per cent of all purchases.
Mobile shopping has also seen significant growth in the region, with over 37 per cent of Valentine’s Day sales being made via mobile devices.

In Saudi Arabia, mobile purchases accounted for more than half of all orders, while in the UAE, this figure reached 41 per cent.

According to the National Retail Federation, consumers are expected to spend a record $27.5 billion on Valentine’s Day this year.
The study reported that fashion, home and garden, and electronics were MENA’s top Valentine’s gift categories, followed by beauty, car products, and tools. Fashion and cosmetics were among the top choices in the UAE.

Men receive more gifts than ever
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia saw an unexpected Valentine’s Day trend, with men receiving more gifts than ever, particularly sports gear, tools, and car accessories, which saw the largest growth.

Gifts for young mothers comprised 9 per cent of sales, and men were 1.5 times more likely to receive car accessories and electronics.