8 Mar 2025
Kuwait's consumer spending hit an unprecedented level in 2024, reflecting a growing trend in purchasing power. What is driving this surge? Several factors come into play — the country's strong purchasing power, a significant presence of high-end brands, and a thriving shopping mall culture. But what does Kuwait's overall shopping market look like? What are people buying, and what is influencing their purchasing decisions? And how is it expected to evolve in the coming years? Let us dive in and explore.
Kuwait’s luxury market: A high-end shopping destination
Kuwait’s luxury market is valued at over $1.3 billion, making it an attractive hub for high-end investments. However, in comparison, for example, the UAE’s luxury market was worth approximately $4.2 billion in 2024. While the gap is noticeable, it highlights that luxury brands continue to have a strong presence in Kuwait — and with significant room for growth, this trend is likely to continue.
Why is the luxury sector growing? The key factor is the high percentage of wealthy individuals in Kuwait, who form the core customer base for premium brands. In Kuwait, 1.6% of the population are millionaires, compared to 0.9% in the UAE and 0.5% in Saudi Arabia — one of the highest concentrations of wealth in the Gulf region. As long as purchasing power remains strong, luxury brands will keep entering the market.
Another factor is Kuwait's high proportion of local residents compared to expats (in contrast to cities like Dubai). Locals tend to favour globally recognised luxury brands while blending them with their own unique styles. This results in a preference for owning fewer but higher-value items, further stimulating the demand for luxury goods. This demand ensures that luxury retail in Kuwait will continue to thrive.
Photo: Mayer Tawfik
So, where can you find these beloved brands?
- The Avenues Mall — Featuring both luxury favourites like Louis Vuitton, Gucci Prada and many more, alongside mass-market brands. It is actually the largest mall in Kuwait.
- Mall of Kuwait — Home to Cartier, Chopard, Rolex, and Hermes.
- 360 Mall — Offers luxury and high-end retailers such as Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Burberry, and Giorgio Armani, as well as designer outlets like Michael Kors and Coach.
- Al Hamra Luxury Mall — Another destination for luxury shopping.
Luxury brands have long had a strong presence in Kuwait, with Chanel being the first major fashion house to open there in 1983. Since then, the names like Dior, Gucci, Cartier, Prada, and Rolex have followed suit. Then, Etoile Group, representing brands such as Valentino and Aquazzura, has entered the market.
A notable development in Kuwait’s luxury scene is CELINE's newly opened store, now featuring a redesigned concept with two floors and an impressive 14-metre-high glass façade. Located in Kuwait City’s luxury mall, it reflects the brand’s global architectural vision, incorporating gold-polished brass, black Zimbabwe marble, and 8-metre ceilings. This move from CELINE makes it clear that brands are not just maintaining a presence in Kuwait but are also making substantial investments in their image and identity.
Despite this strong retail presence, Kuwait has faced some criticism for its limited fashion events compared to cities like Dubai and Riyadh. The last time Kuwait made waves in a fashion week context was back in 2017. However, if we had to predict, the luxury market in Kuwait is set to continue growing, and fashion-related events will become more frequent. So, fasten your seatbelts — Kuwait is taking off.
The specific culture: Local souks
While luxury brands play an important role in Kuwait’s market, there is still a strong presence of local brands. The local souks, especially those selling jewellery and other traditional items, continue to be a key feature of the shopping experience. But why are they still so popular?
First, for many Kuwaitis, these souks carry significant cultural and historical value, representing a part of their family heritage. Kuwait is a country with deep-rooted traditions, where people continue to seek out shops offering goods such as spices, textiles, perfumes, and gold.
The second reason is the relatively small number of tourists, which helps keep the local markets (so familiar to the locals) authentic. Tourism in Kuwait is growing every year, but it is still lower compared to other Gulf countries. In 2023, for example, Kuwait had 4.2 million visits from non-Kuwaiti residents, while the UAE saw about 25.2 million visitors in the same year, not including those using vacation rentals. Saudi Arabia welcomed around 27.5 million international tourists that year. The difference is huge! This is one of the reasons why Kuwait’s local souks have retained their cultural charm without being taken over by mass tourism, making them still comfortable for locals to use.
And the last point: supporting the local market is also a key part of the culture. In all Arab countries, there is a strong tendency to support local brands, and Kuwait is no exception. Plus, local Arabic brands often offer products that international brands do not, such as clothing tailored to local customs like the hijab and abaya.
Photo: Zorawar Bhangoo
Online shopping
The shift towards online shopping became a clear cause-and-effect trend that accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. As lockdowns forced people to stay at home, shopping habits changed, with more people turning to online platforms. Even post-pandemic, this trend in Kuwait has continued to rise. In fact, in 2024, Kuwait's e-commerce market reached a historic high of KD 1.61 billion.
However, despite this growth, a survey conducted among Kuwaiti residents (aged 18 to 45, both male and female) shows that the majority (86%) still prefer shopping offline.
When it comes to brand promotion, Kuwaiti consumers also still lean towards traditional methods of advertising. Word-of-mouth, in-store experiences, and billboards remain the top ways people hear about brands, occupying 1st, 2nd, and 4th place, respectively. In contrast, online advertising, e-commerce platforms, and company-branded websites rank much lower, in 5th, 6th, and 8th spots.
That said, international e-commerce platforms are making their way into the Kuwaiti market. Kuwait has both global online platforms like Ounass, Farfetch, and Namshi, as well as regionally focused platforms like The Luxury Closet and Sivvi. And it is likely that we will see even more of them there in the near future.