Dubai, Aug. 13th, 2006 (WAM)-- The UAE has the second highest number of recreational shoppers in the world who shop once a week for 'something to do' or for 'entertainment', says a recent online shopping study from ACNielsen, the global leader in research and marketing information.

According to the ACNielsen Online Consumer Confidence Survey conducted in 42 markets, 30 per cent of consumers in the UAE go shopping 'at least once a week'. This figure was only second to Hong Kong which stands at 36 per cent.

To further emphasize the UAE'S love of shopping for entertainment, the combined UAE percentage of respondents who shop for 'something to do' either 'twice a week or more','once a week', 'once a month', or 'less than once a month' was recorded among the top 10 worldwide, at 84 per cent.

"With the emergence of a new middle class and opportunitiesfor spending in the UAE, it is understandable that there is hugeenthusiasm about shopping," said Piyush Mathur, Managing Director, ACNielsen MENAP region. "Another key factor is the weather conditions.With nearly six months of hot temperatures,people seek indoor entertainment, usually in a mall or hypermarket.

This has driven a growing trend in 'shopertainment'." "The key to success in retailing is to understand what makesshopping entertaining and make sure that the shopping experiencemaximizes the shoppers' pleasure. Recreational shoppers are notonly motivated by sales or discounts, but also by the entireshopping experience. They want to have the freedom to explorea store," explained Mathur.

"Retailers can take advantage of the opportunity presentedby this big pool of recreational shoppers by positioning theirbrands so that shopping is seen as an 'experience' or an 'event'rather than a chore," concluded Mathur.

The survey also highlighted another form of recreational shoppingemerging called 'therapeutic shopping', which can be describedas venturing into the marketplace in pursuit of an emotionalor psychological uplift.

In the UAE, an average of 49 per cent of consumers regardedclothes shopping as a necessary chore which ranked highest worldwide, whilst 13 per cent of shoppers think its therapeuticto shop for clothes, which rated the lowest amongst the restof the countries in the study.

When questioned about their attitude towards grocery shopping,an average of 72 per cent of consumers in the UAE think thatregular grocery shopping ranks as necessary, and that only 10per cent rate it as therapeutic. Results from the rest of thecountries indicate that an average of 22 per cent of consumersthink that grocery shopping is therapeutic, whilst 39 per centbelieve that it is a necessity.

As the largest global survey of its kind, the ACNielsen OnlineConsumer Confidence Survey is aimed at evaluating consumers'current confidence levels, spending, habits, intentions and currentmajor concerns. Conducted twice a year, the most recent waveof the survey polled over 23,500 consumers, comprising regularInternet users, in 42 markets: Argentina, Australia, Austria,Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Denmark,Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India,Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico,Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, United Kingdom and the UnitedStates.