MGR Slowdown Set To Reverse By Year-End

A sharp deceleration in the UAE's once thriving economy, particularly in the emirate of Dubai, has inevitably affected its mass grocery retail (MGR) industry. Double-digit yearly growth throughout the energy boom to 2008 has been replaced with an MGR sales forecast of just 3.3% year-on-year (y-o-y) in 2009. The year so far has been a humbling one for some of the country's leadings retailers, as consumers have been forced to rein in spending. Leading hypermarket and supermarket retailers like EMKE Group and Spinneys Dubai have had to review their pricing by placing a greater emphasis on value.

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