Dubai, UAE – talabat, the leading on-demand online ordering and delivery platform in the MENA region, today announced a record-breaking day for its Grocery & Retail business, with talabat mart - its online grocery service - reaching an all-time high on the first day of Ramadan.

Compared to the previous Tuesday, talabat mart saw: [i]

  • +21% increase in total orders week-on-week
  • +3% growth in average basket size
  • Peak order volume recorded between 2 pm - 5 pm, reflecting last-minute Iftar preparations

The surge reflects clear shifts in shopping behavior during Ramadan, with customers increasingly turning to on-demand grocery delivery for convenience, time savings, and last-minute Iftar preparations.

Standout Categories

Early data highlights strong demand across key Ramadan staples, including:

  • Fresh produce
  • Dairy & laban
  • Ready-to-cook meal ingredients
  • Dates & Traditional Sweets
  • Beverages & juices

Reflecting these trends, the top five most sold items during the first six days of Ramadan were Banana Chiquita, Mai Dubai Drinking Water, Cucumber GCC, Tomatos – UAE, and Al Ain Mineral Drinking Water. Multiple top-selling items saw a high week-on-week growth, reflecting accelerated purchasing patterns during Ramadan.

“Ramadan reshapes daily routines, and we see that immediately in customer behavior,” said Alix De Zelicourt, GM talabat mart. “What we’re seeing is not just seasonal demand, but a structural reliance on quick commerce as households prioritize convenience, speed, and flexibility during peak preparation hours.”

A Structural Shift

The data reinforces the growing role of quick commerce during high-demand seasonal moments. As households balance preparation, family gatherings, and work schedules, convenience and speed become critical drivers.

With Ramadan only beginning, talabat mart expects sustained elevated demand across Grocery & Retail in the coming weeks of Ramadan, traditionally the highest-grocery-consumption period of the season.

About talabat

talabat is the leading on-demand delivery platform in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, offering customers a convenient and personalized way to order food, groceries, and other convenience products from a wide selection of restaurants and retailers. Founded in Kuwait in 2004, talabat has expanded its operations to cover the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan and Iraq, serving over six and a half million active customers as of December 2024. talabat is headquartered in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and in December 2024, successfully completed its initial public offering on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM). As a subsidiary of Delivery Hero SE, talabat leverages global expertise to strengthen its market position and drive innovation in the on-demand delivery sector, focusing on expanding its product offerings and increasing market penetration across its operating regions. With a robust network of over thousands of partners and riders, talabat continues to solidify its leadership in the MENA region's on-demand delivery market, connecting customers, partners, and riders through its advanced technology platform.

[i] As per 20th Feb 2026.