No panic buying in UAE supermarkets as shoppers and retailers confirm strong supply

Dubai: Rumours of panic buying have circulated across the UAE in recent days amid regional geopolitical developments, yet visits to several supermarkets across the country show shoppers continuing their routine grocery purchases while retailers confirm strong stock levels across essential goods.

Conversations with residents inside supermarkets revealed little evidence of large scale stockpiling, with most shoppers saying they are simply buying their usual weekly groceries while keeping an eye on developments.

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Mohammad Jamshah, a 40-year-old Indian resident, said he had noticed the rumours but saw no reason to change his normal shopping routine.

“No, no. I'll keep some supplies. That's it. You know, you don't know, just in that way, but I'm fine,” he said.

Jamshah said his purchases remain limited to normal household needs rather than long-term stockpiling.

“So far it's fine. I'm not keeping anything for like a month. It's just like as usual, like a week or something like that.”

Other shoppers echoed a similar sentiment, saying confidence in the country’s supply systems meant there was little reason to panic.

Walid Rabah, a 41-year-old Lebanese resident, said supermarkets remain well-stocked and shoppers feel reassured by the stability of the country's supply chains.

“Yes, we are absolutely happy with the supply. We're not panicking, especially in UAE. We know everything is secured, everything is well maintained, so no need for any panic,” Rabah said.

Purchases remain largely unchanged, with some households buying slightly more of a few staple items as a precaution.

“If we are buying something extra maybe a little bit more on rice, that's it. But not stocking. Still the usual buys.”

Matthews Abraham, a 55-year-old resident, also described his visit to the supermarket as routine.

Asked whether he was stocking up, Abraham replied simply that he was continuing with regular grocery shopping and felt comfortable with the availability of products on store shelves.

Retailers say supply levels remain strong across supermarkets and warehouses, with goods continuing to arrive through established import channels.

Kamal Vachani, Deputy CEO, Group Director and Partner at Al Maya Group, said stores across the country remain fully stocked and customers have access to products at any time of day.

“We have full stocks of all FMCG goods available in our supermarkets. Our stores operate 24 hours a day, throughout the year, and there is no reason for panic buying. We have large quantities of goods in our warehouses and imports are arriving regularly,” he said.

Customers also have several ways to access groceries without visiting stores physically.

Local sourcing has also helped maintain steady availability across several food categories.

“The UAE is also increasingly self reliant in fruits and vegetables. We source large quantities from farms in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi, which are supplied directly to our supermarkets,” he added.

Retail operators say they did observe a short burst of higher demand earlier in the week, which is typical during periods of uncertainty, but the pattern quickly returned to normal.

Florian Hüthmair, President of Everyday Goods at GMG, said customer demand briefly increased before stabilising again.

“We did see a spike in customer demand over the weekend, which is a natural reaction when people feel uncertainty. However, that only lasted a couple of days and customer shopping behaviour has since returned to normal.”

Store inventories remain strong across categories, with products continuing to be replenished regularly.

“Our stores are very well stocked across all essential categories and products continue to be replenished regularly,” Hüthmair said.

Local production also plays an important role in maintaining supply levels.

“At GMG we manufacture a significant portion of our food locally through our Farm to Fork strategy. This supports the UAE national food security agenda and allows us to maintain consistent availability for our customers.”

Authorities have also moved quickly to reassure residents that markets remain stable and that supplies of essential goods remain secure across the country.

The Ministry of Economy and Tourism said strategic reserves of essential commodities are strong and diversified, with stock levels capable of meeting domestic demand for extended periods.

Officials said supply chains remain fully operational and imports are continuing without disruption.

Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri said the UAE’s economic system has been designed to respond effectively to regional and global challenges.

“Thanks to the wise and forward looking vision of its leadership, the UAE has successfully built a resilient economic system capable of confronting a wide range of regional and global challenges,” he said.

Import flows into the country continue normally with no signs of supply shortages.

“The UAE has demonstrated an exceptional ability to manage global supply chain challenges with high efficiency and flexibility,” bin Touq said.

Authorities also urged residents to avoid unnecessary stockpiling and continue purchasing according to their normal needs.

Retail outlets across the country remain well supplied, supported by diversified import networks, strategic reserves and advanced logistics infrastructure that ensure steady availability of goods across the UAE market.