Hour-Long Queues, Slow Traffic: Last-Minute Rush At UAE Supermarkets As Ramadan Begins

2026-02-18 04:14:40

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

It was not just food that saw demand; items like prayer mats and modest clothing were in demand too

PUBLISHED: Wed 18 Feb 2026, 11:38 AM

By:
SM Ayaz Zakir

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Supermarkets across the UAE witnessed heavy crowds late on Tuesday night after the crescent was sighted. Many residents who were not expecting Ramadan to begin on Wednesday rushed out for groceries, and long checkout queues were seen.

By 9pm, aisles were filling up, and by 10pm, many branches were fully packed. Within an hour of the announcement, traffic around shopping centres in Dubai and Sharjah slowed down as families headed out together to stock up for the first iftar and suhoor.

Unsure of what to buy

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At supermarkets in Dubai and Sharjah, people moved quickly, some with lists on their phones, others unsure of what to pick.

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“You could see it on people's faces. They were in a hurry, but also thinking, what exactly do we need?” said Ahmed, a shopper at Carrefour in Century Mall.

Some residents focused only on essentials for the first few days. Rice, oil, milk, bread, eggs, yoghurt, fruits and frozen snacks were the fastest-moving items. Packs of dates were picked up in almost every trolley.

Ramadan prayer timings

“I shopped only for five days. It was so sudden that I did not even prepare a list. But I have the mandatory Ramadan list in my mind,” said Rukhsana Parveen, standing in line with two small bags at the same supermarket.

“I don't want to overbuy. We will come again once we settle into the routine.”

Spent more time at the counter than shopping

Night to Night on Ittihad Road was among the busiest. By 10.15pm, checkout queues stretched into the aisles. Shoppers moved quickly, but billing counters moved slower.

“We were in the billing queue for nearly 55 minutes,” said Mohammed Abu Nael, a resident of Al Nahda in Sharjah.“We thought Ramadan would start a day later. When the news came, we just left home.”

“We have not managed to buy all the items we needed, but we will have to return soon for another round of shopping,” he added.

Trolleys were filled with familiar Ramadan staples such as large packs of rice, cooking oil, frozen samosas, ready-made kebabs, fruits, yoghurt and cartons of laban. Several parents had their children seated inside carts, some scrolling on phones, others holding small juice boxes.

At the same supermarket, a customer left his trolley halfway through the store after noticing the billing queue.“It's too long. We will manage with what we have tonight,” he said before leaving.

Self-checkout counters were no relief, as separate queues had formed there too, with shoppers scanning items carefully and asking staff for assistance.

It was not just food that saw demand. Items like prayer mats were stacked near promotional counters. Modest clothing sections also saw footfall, especially near abayas, scarves and simple kurtas.

“We needed new prayer mats for the children. And I picked up some modest wear too. Ramadan is not just about food,” said Fatma H., who was shopping at Sharjah City Centre.

At Carrefour in Sharjah City Centre, staff at the bakery section were restocking bread every few minutes. Many shoppers were seen grabbing ready-to-cook items for the first suhoor.