UAE no.1 Scotch Whiskey consumer
The UAE has become the world’s biggest consumer of blended Scotch whisky, pushing France into second place, according to research based on 2010 figures.
Euromonitor International said that the country’s unlikely position at the top of the global tree came despite a relatively poor year for spirits sales in the country.
“The drop in growth rates came on the back of a shrinking consumer base in light of the outflow of expatriates in 2009 and 2010 as well as lower population growth, in addition to fewer tourist arrivals,” the Euromonitor research note said.
“Spirits' year-on-year growth saw marked slowdowns, consumers traded down to cheaper brands while switching to home consumption and retailers were forced to increase their price promotions.”
However, whisky bucked the trend, with volume sales in the UAE growing by nine percent during 2010 to 10.2m litres.
The agency said that this had been helped by the wide availability of standard and economy brands for those consumers who were tightening their belts.
That factor helped blended whisky, as it provided a reliable alternative for consumers trading down from the more expensive single malts, Euromonitor added.
“Set to post enviable 10% total volume growth in 2010, other blended Scotch whisky is also set to register one of the highest volume CAGRs of the forecast period, at 11%,” the report said.
“Although it might not be viewed as a fashionable drink among younger generations, other blended Scotch remains the mainstay category in spirits and is expected to account for 51% of the total volumes sold in the country by 2015.”
The agency also pointed out that increased investment from global drinks giants would lead to the country retaining its importance in the future.
“With Diageo aiming to apparently double the size of its business in the Middle East within the next five years, and persistently lacklustre figures coming from developed core markets, the UAE should stop raising eyebrows to become the focal point of rising expectations in the region,” the report said.
The article, published on arabianbusiness.com on Thursday, was removed for unspecified reasons. Find the link below:
http://www.arabianbusiness.com/uae-is-world-s-biggest-consumer-of-blende...
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link:
http://www.iloubnan.info/business/actualite/id/54630/titre/UAE-no.1-Scot...
the funny and the sad thing at the same time , when you read this news about a country claim that it is Muslim.
:(
LincolnPirate--
Didn't realize the nationals did this. That would explain the cartloads of shyte whiskey the Indians were hauling out.
but what is Scotch Whiskey
And yet they make it "illegal" to consume alcohol in public :-P What an irony
in saudi arabia , an ordinary man can't buy these things easily.
that is why i don't think so.
u have to be powerful to buy it.
It may be officially, but i heard that unofficially, It's saudi Arabia..
don't copy paste me.
it is very related
The trick is that Qataris use their Indian employees to purchase for them. Fact, not fiction.
Lived in the UAE for a while and am not surprised . . . but when I wen to the QDC I was amazed at how much whiskey was being tossed into carts, mostly by Indians rather than Europeans. Per person consumption must be about the same here but the gov will never report.
this have to do with Qatar? please post in UAE.living!
we just like to be No.1 in everything ;)
that is why i post it in funnies :S
bye bye France :D