How can your brand win during Ramadan & Eid? 🌙

Did you know that an estimated £200m is spent by British Muslims during the four-week period of Ramadan?

According to the 2021 census, the UK Muslim population consists of 3.9 million people. The largest Muslim communities in the UK originate from South Asia, but there are also significant Arab, African, Southeast Asian, Balkan, and Turkish communities.

The celebrations during Ramadan and Eid create a huge opportunity for FMCG brands and provide many key moments to engage with a growing group of consumers.Our very own Rashedah is getting ready to enjoy the celebrations and is here to share her thoughts on how your brand can make the most of the period…

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What is Ramadan all about?

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide through fasting, prayer, and reflection. During this month, many Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn to dusk.

Ramadan will begin on the next appearance of the crescent moon, which is expected around 11th March. It will conclude with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr, anticipated to be around 9th April, again dependent on the moon’s cycle.

Fasting throughout the day means there is a significant focus on food and drink when breaking the fast, which means people are willing to spend more.

We also see heightened community spirit driven by communal meals, as well as a focus on values like generosity and compassion. Brands and retailers can tap into these feelings to cater to Muslim consumers.

Over the years, we’ve seen an increased focus from UK supermarkets. More and more stores dedicate their seasonal aisle to Ramadan and create dedicated Ramadan pages on their websites.

Asda introduced 150 new product lines for Ramadan last year in an effort to reach more Muslim households. These included store cupboard essentials, dates and ready-made sauces.

Beyond the food aisle, Asda also launched Ramadan Countdown Calendars with celebratory chocolate treats inside and talking Muslim dolls from The Desi Doll Company which speak and sing in English and Arabic.

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What are the opportunities during this period?

1. Focus on convenience: During Ramadan, hectic schedules and changing meal times present a unique opportunity for brands and retailers. By offering convenient and healthy meal options, along with promoting foods that are easy to prepare, brands and retailers can unlock huge growth potential. Imagine the appeal of having readily available, nutritious solutions for busy professionals seeking to break their fast after a long workday. It provides a huge growth opportunity especially if your range includes ready meals, pre-prepared sauces or meal kits.

2. Focus on togetherness: Ramadan is a chance to come together with loved ones and share meals. Creating content that inspires families to cook and share meals together can help to inspire and drive growth.

Supermarket websites like Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury’s have dedicated Ramadan pages that showcase easy to follow recipes for communal meals as well as food items on offer from many different international cuisines.

3. Gift giving initiatives: The month of fasting ends with the celebration period Eid, during this festival many British Muslims like to give gifts to their loved ones.

People are happy to spend more on premium goods and gifts during this period. Highlighting gift sets or gift cards is a great way to tap into this opportunity. However, it doesn't always have to be a traditional gift - exchanging your favourite products can give a personal touch. For example, I gave my sister an eyeshadow I know she loves.

4. Social media engagement: Creating interactive campaigns and encouraging user-generated content is a great way to engage with the diverse Muslim communities within the UK.

A really great example from Tesco is their “Food Love Stories” series for Ramadan/ Eid. This campaign provided great representation and engagement with the Muslim community. As a result of this campaign, Tesco’s brand tracker recorded a 30% uplift to responses on whether the Muslim community feels Tesco is inclusive.

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Ramadan and Eid are two of the biggest and most important periods in the UK calendar, with huge opportunities for brands to engage with their Muslim consumers and grow their sales.

Do you see an opportunity for your brand this Ramadan?

Get in touch if we can do anything to help you or your brand.

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