[Dubai, UAE: February 12] – Flowwow, a UAE-based gifting marketplace, and Admitad, apartnership marketing platform, reveal key Valentine’s Day market trends in the MENAregion by analysing online sales from February 12-15, 2024. The study highlights a 37%mobile shopping growth, and a staggering 550% flower market boom, marking Valentine’sas one of the key shopping events for Middle Eastern consumers. The study reveals that theUAE, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia are one of the top spenders on Valentine’s gifts in the region.Kuwait ($126) and the Emirates ($95) lead MENA in Valentine’s Day gift sales by theaverage order value (AOV), with significant AOVs also seen in Qatar ($74), Egypt ($57), andKSA ($49).Flower Market Boom: Gift Favourites for Valentine’s DayValentine’s Day remains the biggest driver of flower sales, with purchases surging by 550%and revenue rising by 635% compared to the average month, according to Flowwow. Flowersmaintain their position as the most popular gift category for Valentine’s Day (with 93% oftotal purchases), highlighting the traditions and gift-giving culture of the Emirates and reflectingtheir love for timeless classics.Throughout 2024, large bouquets in shades of red (35%), pink (30%), and white (17%),composed of classic and peony roses, remained one of the top choices with UAEcustomers. Large, luxurious bouquets with 101 or 109 roses have become bestsellers in theEmirates, often selected for special occasions like Valentine’s Day. The average order valuefor the flower bouquets in the UAE stood at 275 AED ($74.8).“The UAE and MENA region stand out for their deep-rooted culture of expressing love throughmeaningful gestures. At Flowwow, we are proud to support this tradition by delivering joy andbringing people closer, no matter the distance. This year, we predict a significant 15% rise ingifting sales for Valentine’s Day, one of the biggest shopping peaks of the year, with a notable10% increase specifically in the confectionery category. As long as people love, the giftingbusiness will continue to thrive – especially on occasions like Valentine’s Day, whereexpressions of love matter most”, — said Slava Bogdan, CEO of Flowwow.
Valentine’s Day is currently topping the searches on Google Trends in the UAE and MENA,where customers are preparing gifts for their loved ones. This year, consumers are expectedto spend a record $27.5 billion on Valentine’s Day, according to the National Retail Federation.The MENA region is experiencing a growing trend in the confectionery and bakery categories,following the international trend of candies being the top choice (56% of all purchases) forValentine’s Day gifts.Besides flowers, popular Valentine’s gifts include teddy bears, chocolates, chocolate-coveredstrawberries, red heart-shaped balloons, and creative floral arrangements, according toFlowwow data. Some in the UAE prefer unique blooms like violet tulips, colourful roses, bluehydrangeas, orchids, and peony tulips.Mobile Love: Over 37% of Purchases Made via SmartphonesMobile shopping has seen significant growth in the region, with over 37% of Valentine’s Daysales being made via mobile devices. In Saudi Arabia, mobile purchases accounted for morethan half of all orders, while in the UAE, this figure reached 41%. According to Flowwow andAdmitad experts, the proportion of mobile purchases for Valentine’s gifts is expected toincrease by 3% further in 2025.At the same time, Valentine’s Day appears to be losing its charm for local MENA audiences,as total sales in 2024 have decreased by 5% in the week of the holiday compared to theprevious year.“Consumers have been less active in making Valentine’s Day purchases compared to, forexample, the month of Ramadan. The situation will improve with the overall growth of e-commerce in the region, which is projected to increase by 5% in the total number of orders bythe end of 2025”, commented Anna Gidirim, CEO of Admitad.
Rising Holiday Trends: More Gifts for Men, and Gen-Z Gamers Join theCelebrationFashion (20%), home & garden (18.5%), and electronics (17.5%) were the top Valentine’s giftcategories in MENA, followed by beauty (9%), car products (7%), and tools (6%). Fashion andcosmetics were one of the top choices in the UAE. The fashion category led at 25%, followedby electronics (18.5%) and home & garden (15.5%), with beauty products making up 12% ofpurchases. Demand for these categories grew in 2024 and is expected to continue, withfashion and electronics projected to rise by 9% in 2025.Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia saw an unexpected Valentine’s Day trend, with men receiving moregifts than ever, particularly sports gear, tools, and car accessories, which saw the largestgrowth. In Saudi, gifts for young mothers made up 9% of sales, and men were 1.5 times morelikely to receive car accessories and electronics (20%).Generation Z is shifting towards gifting digital beauty items in video games, like CS:GO skinsand DOTA 2 Arcanas, driven by a 32% increase in online game sales.Love is International: Top Languages To Express Love in the UAEThe UAE’s multicultural spirit shines through in Valentine’s Day greetings, written in over 25languages, with English (74.3%) and Arabic (18.4%) being the most commonly used inpostcards. Other popular languages include Russian (2.2%), French (1.9%), Spanish (1.2%),German (1%), Hindi (1%), and Filipino (1%), reflecting the country’s diverse expatcommunities. In 2024, the word “love” appeared 359 times in postcards, alongside affectionatephrases like “love you” (173 mentions), “forever” (28 mentions), and “Habibi” (37 mentions),showcasing cultural influence. This linguistic diversity highlights the UAE’s multicultural spiritand the universal language of love.Valentine’s Day in the MENA region will continue to see growth in online gifting sales, withmobile purchases, luxury gifts, and floral arrangements leading the way. As trends evolve, thedemand for a wider variety of gifts, from flowers to fashion and gaming items, is expected togrow in 2025. The UAE and Saudi Arabia remain at the forefront of this shift, reflecting thetradition of love and giving, prominent among all cultures of the region.* * *Please find all images at the link: Valentine’s Day Trends: Flowwow x Admitad
About Flowwow:Flowwow is a UAE-based gifting marketplace that simplifies gift-giving and connects localbrands with customers. Rethinking the $30 billion online gifting market, Flowwow hosts over15,000 local brands from 1,000 cities and operates in over 40 countries, including the UAE,Spain, the UK, Brazil, and the CIS region. As of 2024, the platform processed 4.6 millionorders.About Admitad:Admitad, a part of Mitgo Group, is the leading partnership marketing platform in the MENAregion that helps drive targeted traffic and boost sales. It is designed for businesses of anysize to expand their reach and grow globally through partnerships. Admitad facilitates newcustomers and sales for over 3,000 clients by partnering with more than 300,000 publishersworldwide.
Valentine’s Day Sales in MENA: 550% Surge in Flowers, with the UAE andKuwait Leading Gift Spending
