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How to Start a Merchandising Services Business with Meydan Free Zone
In the UAE, the way a product appears on a shelf is never an accident. Merchandising services are the business behind that precision: planning product placement, designing retail displays, executing in-store promotions, and ensuring that what a brand wants a shopper to see is exactly what the shopper sees.
UAE retail sales are projected to reach USD 139.1 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 5.4 percent according to Alpen Capital's GCC Retail Industry Report¹. Consumer spending rose 13 percent year-on-year in 2023, with fashion up 31 percent and general retail up 16 percent, according to Majid Al Futtaim's State of the UAE Retail Economy report².
Dubai alone welcomed 18.72 million international overnight visitors in 2024 according to the Department of Economy and Tourism³. Across the wider GCC, retail sales are forecast to grow from USD 309.6 billion in 2023 to USD 386.9 billion by 2028¹, with 3.9 million square metres of new retail space expected to come online during the same period¹.
That is thousands of new stores that will need shelves stocked, displays built, and products positioned.
Whether you are building a field merchandising agency, launching a visual merchandising consultancy, or offering retail execution services for FMCG brands, this is a market where brand spending meets physical retail performance, and the UAE sits at the centre of it for the entire GCC.
Who is this for?
| Audience Segment | Profile |
|---|---|
| Retail merchandising and field execution agencies | |
| Visual merchandising and display consultancies | |
| Brand activation and promotional services providers | |
| Companies providing in-store product placement, shelf management, planogram compliance, stock replenishment, and field merchandising teams to FMCG brands, electronics manufacturers, and retail chains across the UAE and GCC. | |
| Businesses specialising in store design, window displays, promotional fixture creation, point-of-purchase installations, lighting design, and seasonal visual campaigns for retailers, malls, and hospitality venues. | |
| Firms delivering in-store promotions, product sampling, experiential marketing activations, demo staffing, and trade marketing execution for brands seeking to drive consumer engagement at the point of sale. |
4540.94 - Merchandising Services
Under this activity, you are in the business of helping brands and retailers present their products in physical retail environments. That covers product display design and installation, in-store promotional campaigns, field merchandising operations like shelf stocking and planogram compliance, and visual merchandising strategy.
You are not selling the products. You are ensuring they perform at the point of sale.
| Category | Scope |
|---|---|
| Field merchandising | Retail execution and field services Providing field merchandising teams to manage product placement, shelf replenishment, planogram compliance, stock rotation, and point-of-sale material installation across supermarkets, hypermarkets, pharmacies, and specialty retail outlets. UAE RETAIL FOOTPRINT Major retailers like Carrefour (Majid Al Futtaim), Lulu Hypermarket, and Spinneys operate hundreds of outlets across the UAE, creating consistent demand for third-party merchandising execution from FMCG and consumer goods brands. |
| Visual merchandising | Display design and visual strategy Designing and implementing window displays, in-store visual presentations, seasonal themes, lighting schemes, signage systems, and spatial layouts that guide customer flow and maximise conversion for retailers, malls, and hospitality clients. UAE VISUAL MERCHANDISING SCENE Agencies like D'Art Design, The Alchemist, Prop Studios Middle East, and regional arms of global firms serve the UAE's iconic retail destinations including Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, and Abu Dhabi's Yas Mall. |
| Brand activation | Promotional and experiential merchandising Executing in-store brand activations, product demonstrations, sampling campaigns, pop-up installations, and promotional events that drive trial, awareness, and sell-through at the retail point of purchase. GCC ACTIVATION SPENDING The brand activation services market reached USD 10.4 billion globally in 2025 according to Dataintelo⁴; the Middle East and Africa region is growing at a projected CAGR of 7.8 percent, driven by expanding retail and FMCG investment across the GCC. |
| Digital & tech-enabled | Data-driven merchandising solutions Deploying technology-enabled merchandising services including digital shelf analytics, AI-powered planogram optimisation, interactive display systems, augmented reality retail experiences, and real-time compliance reporting dashboards for brand clients. EMERGING IN UAE RETAIL AI-driven merchandising tools are improving retail conversion rates by 15 to 20 percent in early implementations according to IntelMarketResearch⁵, and the UAE's National AI Strategy 2031⁶ positions retail as a priority sector for smart technology adoption. |
However, there are operational boundaries to look out for. This activity does not cover the wholesale or retail sale of bicycles and related parts and accessories.
It also excludes renting of motorcycles and the repair and maintenance of bicycles.
This activity covers the service of planning, placing, displaying, and promoting products within retail environments on behalf of brands and retailers. If you are executing the merchandising, managing how products appear, where they sit, and how they are promoted at the point of sale, you are in.
Third-Party Approval
No third-party approval is required for this business activity.
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance
This business activity is exempt from AML compliance requirements.
References
- ¹ Alpen Capital — GCC Retail Industry Report (September 2024) — https://alpencapital.com/research/2024/alpen-capital-gcc-retail-industry-2024-consolidated-version.php
- ² Majid Al Futtaim — State of the UAE Retail Economy Report 2023 — https://www.majidalfuttaim.com/en/media-centre/press-releases/detail/2024/04/majid-al-futtaim-s-state-of-the-uae-retail-economy-report-reveals-double-digit-consumer-spending-increase-in-2023
- ³ Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) — Tourism Performance Report 2024 — https://www.dubaidet.gov.ae/en/research-and-insights/tourism-performance-report-june-2025
- ⁴ Dataintelo — Brand Activation Service Market Research Report 2034 — https://dataintelo.com/report/brand-activation-service-market
- ⁵ IntelMarketResearch — Retail Visual Merchandising Service Market Outlook 2026–2032 — https://www.intelmarketresearch.com/retail-visual-merchandising-service-market-23719
- ⁶ UAE National AI Strategy 2031 — https://ai.gov.ae
