Ramadan and its Effect on E-commerce

For over 1,400 years, people worldwide have been practising Ramadan with 1.8 billion fasting in 2021.

Ramadan is an extended period of time whereby people must not drink or eat between sunrise and sunset.

The Celebration

The final day of Ramadan ends with a monumentous celebration. The festival of breaking the fast, or Eid al-Fitr, begins with communal prayers at daybreak and continues to huge gatherings where participants eat, socialise and exchange gifts. Some cities, especially in the MENA region, host large carnivals and group prayer events to commemorate the festival.

The exchange of gifts in the MENA region is one of the biggest in the world. The sheer affluence and prosperity in the region have given rise to almost a subculture of Eid with an enhanced notion of gift giving amongst loved ones.

Routine Change

While Ramadan has a huge effect on daily routines, it creates a time of reflection and peace when families and friends can gather and break their fast together. Suhoor is had before sunrise and the first prayer of the day. The evening meal, or Iftar, is had after the sunset prayer.

In 2020 and 2021, the coronavirus has disrupted these annual events. Mosques have been closed, and families have been separated due to social distancing regulations. While the restrictions have made Eid, and the daily Iftar and Suhoor gatherings challenging, the spirituality of the tradition has never been stronger. Many participants have relied on e-commerce to give gifts and deliver food and drinks for the breaking of the fast.

Through our network, we provide support to online retailers helping them export their product offerings to the MENA region. Aramex can be your go-to MENA expert and can assist retailers when tapping into the MENA market potential.

To work with the experts in express shipping, get in touch with our team. We are here every step of the journey making sure your products arrive on time.