Retail
From The Report: Qatar 2022
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Qatar’s retail sector fared well in 2020 and 2021 despite the global slowdown. Although shopping outlets were forced to close in the spring of 2020 when governments around the world imposed lockdown measures to stem the spread of Covid-19, reopening began as early as that summer. In the months since, retail stores and malls in Qatar have welcomed customers with a range of health guidelines in place. A handful of new malls opened in 2021 and more are expected for 2022, encouraged by pent-up demand for goods and socialising, even as median monthly rents have fallen. Grocery retailers, in particular, were buoyed during the pandemic by online deliveries and minimal disruption to supply due to Qatar’s pre-pandemic drive to boost food security and diversify trading partners.

This chapter contains an interview with Abdul Aziz Mohammed Al Rabban, Co-founder, Place Vendôme, and Chairman and Managing Director, Business Trading Company.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Shoppers’ choice: Malls adjust to a post-pandemic world as supermarkets benefit from efforts to ensure food security
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Qatar’s retail sector fared well in 2020 and 2021 despite the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Although shopping outlets were forced to close in the spring of 2020 when governments around the world imposed lockdown measures to stem the spread of the virus, reopening began as early as that summer. In the months since, retail stores and malls in Qatar have welcomed customers with a range of health guidelines in place. A handful of new malls opened in 2021 and more are expected for 2022, encouraged…

Analysis

Multichannel future: Local brands are working to both incorporate digital offerings and maintain a brick-and-mortar presence
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Qatari retailers that have weathered the Covid-19 pandemic are shifting to a blended, multichannel distribution strategy. Such a strategy involves expanding a company’s digital offerings, while at the same time maintaining a brick-and-mortar presence at an attractive location. The pandemic gave rise to a significant uptick in online shopping, a trend especially apparent when physical retail branches were closed due to lockdown measures. Digital Drive When non-essential stores were shuttered at…

Interview

New offerings: Abdul Aziz Mohammed Al Rabban, Co-founder, Place Vendôme; and Chairman and Managing Director, Business Trading Company, on adapting to changing customer demands
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Interview:Abdul Aziz Mohammed Al Rabban How can Qatar’s retail sector maximise returns from the 2022 FIFA World Cup? ABDUL AZIZ MOHAMMED AL RABBAN: The 2022 FIFA World Cup will be a key opportunity for retailers, and they should work to maximise returns from the event. Qatar is expecting around 1.2m visitors for the competition, which means that prior to, during and after the event there will be ample room to reach new consumers. It will be necessary for industry stakeholders, as…