Dubai Shopping Festival: Gala plan revealed for the opening weekend

Cheb Khaled, Sherine Abdel Wahab and Emirati singer Hussain Al Jassmi will perform on DSF launch day at Burj Park on Thursday

Noon founder Alabbar says Amazon ‘should go back to Seattle’

Global e-commerce giant Amazon began regional operations after acquiring Dubai-based Souq.com

Dubai’s largest Ikea store opens in new Festival Plaza mall in Jebel Ali

The store is spread across 35,500 square metres and features a restaurant and bakery

Explainer: Is it a good time for international FMCGs to expand in the GCC?

Krishan Kumar Chutani, CEO of Dabur International, says that despite growing competition and changing consumer tastes, the regional market offers strong potential for growth

Mega Dhs1.2bn Nakheel Mall in Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah to open next week

The mall, initially slated for completion in 2017, features five retail levels with more than 300 shops

Saudi Arabia bans cigarettes without valid tax stamps

The ban comes into effect from November 18

Sheikh Ahmed appointed to temporarily manage Dubai Holding, Meraas

Sheikh Ahmed will replace Abdulla Al Habbai

UAE Carrefour stores to soon remove plastic bags as part of Majid Al Futtaim eco-plan

The company plans to phase out single-use plastic across all its units by 2025

Saudi’s BinDawood picks JPMorgan, Goldman for IPO

The group operates the BinDawood and Danube supermarkets and hypermarkets

Dubai reveals dates for three-day ‘super sale’ with discounts of up to 90%

The event will see over 500 brands taking part across more than 2,000 outlets

Emirates launches new platform to deliver products from US to UAE

Emirates Delivers allows consumers to shop from multiple online retailers in the US and have the goods delivered in the UAE

Video: Mall of the Emirates apologises for evacuation amid heavy rain

A “technical glitch” caused a power outage on a day of heavy rains

Forever 21 files for bankruptcy, plans to exit most of its locations in Asia and Europe

Founded in 1984, Forever 21 operates more than 800 stores in the US, Europe, Asia and Latin America

Dubai’s Meraas, Brookfield create Dhs5bn retail joint venture

The joint venture will own and operate the portfolio of Meraas retail assets, including The Beach, City Walk and La Mer

UAE retailer Majid Al Futtaim launches new loyalty programme

Existing Majid Al Futtaim loyalty programmes will be replaced by Share

Video: Dubai’s Global Village set to return October 29

Season 24 will reportedly feature more than 3,500 shops and restaurants

UAE food discount brand Viva opens 16 outlets in 18 months

The company plans to open five more outlets before the end of this year

UAE cabinet approves policy to categorise food products on nutritional value

Food products will be categorised as one of three colours – red, yellow and green, to clearly distinguish their nutritional values

Dior blasted for ‘racist’ advert starring Johnny Depp

Native American-themed advert taken down from social media

Forever 21 may file for chapter 11 bankruptcy – report

Unknown how UAE stores might be affected

UAE’s Lulu Group to invest $500m in Egypt’s retail sector

It plans to build malls, hypermarkets and mini markets in Egypt

UAE to tax sugary drinks, e-cigarettes from 2020

An excise tax of 50 per cent will be levied on sweetened drinks and a 100 per cent excise tax on electronic smoking devices

Saudi wealth fund PIF eyes investment in date producer Bateel

Bateel owns date groves in Al Ghat, about 250 km away from Riyadh, and has a chain of cafes and bakeries

Work progressing on mega Mall of Oman, says developer

The mall – expected to be one of the biggest in Oman – will open in March 2021

Expats in Kuwait ‘banned’ from fish auctions to curb price manipulation

The ministry had reportedly received several complaints that auctioneers – mostly expatriates – raise the fish prices

Dubai retail group GMG says its outlets saw double-digit growth during DSS

The company’s retail outlets include brands such as Nike, Sun & Sand Sports, and Supercare Pharmacy

Noon partners with China’s Neolix to trial autonomous vehicles in Saudi, UAE

Neolix will build driverless vehicles customised to the region’s weather conditions

Amazon reveals best-selling products in the UAE on Prime Day

Prime members in the UAE purchased more than 21,000 litres of bottled water and over 8,500 kg of powder detergent

Saudi businesses can remain open 24 hours a day under new Cabinet decision

The new decision is hoped to help create thousands of jobs and stimulate the kingdom’s economy

New Al Futtaim mall in Dubai with Ikea, Ace to open in December

Festival Plaza, located in Jebel Ali, will have over 120 stores