UAE leads Muslim world in Mother’s Day spending

UAE residents led the Muslim world in spending the largest sum on buying Mother’s Day gifts, according to a new report.

An estimated $118 million (Dh433 million) was spent by the Muslims worldwide on Mother’s Day on March 21 this year, an increase of 6.78 per cent, with UAE at the forefront of this buying spree.

The chart released by TIMEZ5 showed that 21 per cent bought chocolates, followed by flowers (19 per cent), health and beauty (11 per cent), clothing and accessories (8 per cent), gift certificates (6 per cent) and others.

The Mother’s Day is marked on March 21 each year in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Lebanon, Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt and Bahrain.

TIMEZ5, a health and wellness lifestyle company headquartered in Canada, monitors data about Muslims across the globe. It noted in a report that the UAE is followed by Kuwait, Malaysia and the UK in sales growth this year.

Mother’s Day ranks as the third highest spending season for Muslims, said TIMEZ5, the creators of the world’s first physiological prayer mat. The company itself saw sales increase of 11.45 per cent over previous year.

Mother’s Day spending has grown by an average of 6.78 per cent this year, making it a very important celebration for Muslims, it noted. Although Mother’s Day isn’t officially recognised as a holiday, it is still widely celebrated on a cultural level.

TIMEZ5 said typical gifts account for 65 per cent of all sales ranging from chocolates to gift certificates.