State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2018/19: Islamic Economy Marks Steady Growth

• UAE ranks first globally across five Islamic economy sector
• Global Muslim spend on food and beverages forecast to reach US$1.9 trillion by 2023
• Islamic finance assets expected to surge to US$3.8 trillion by 2023

Dubai-UAE: 28 October, 2018 – Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre (DIEDC) today published the results of the State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2018/19, titled ‘An Inclusive Ethical Economy’. The sixth report in the series was commissioned by DIEDC and produced by Thomson Reuters in collaboration with DinarStandard and the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

The findings were unveiled at a seminar held at the DIFC Conference Centre on the second day of the Islamic Economy Week.

A panel discussion followed the launch, moderated by Mustafa Adil, Head of Islamic Finance at Thomson Reuters. Prominent panellists included Shamzani Hussain, Managing Director and Head of Islamic Banking at First Abu Dhabi Bank, Ahmed Daoud, Chief Innovation Officer at Zileej, and Rafiuddin Shikoh, CEO of DinarStandard.

Although Malaysia once again tops the Global Islamic Economy Indicator, the UAE ranks in first place across the remaining five sectors – Halal Food, Halal Travel, Modest Fashion, Halal Media and Recreation, and Halal Pharmaceuticals and Cosmetics – compared to three sectors in 2017/18.

Speaking on the results of the report, His Excellency Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of DIEDC, said: “This year, the UAE has boosted its Global Islamic Economy Indicator score and attained the top spots in two additional sectors. The rise in the country’s standing testifies to the commitment of DIEDC’s partners to implementing the Centre’s initiatives, their significant contributions to the development of the Islamic economy in Dubai, as well as the success of the UAE's sustainable development drive as part of its post-oil economy vision.”

Speaking on the purpose of the report, Abdulla Mohammed Al Awar said: “Every annual report offers fresh facts and statistics that provide us with new insights and perspectives to better understand and more accurately anticipate consumer behaviour among Muslims across key markets.”

Addressing the 2018/19 insights, he added: “This year, we have witnessed a surge in demand for products that not only conform to sharia-compliant financing and stringent environmental sustainability, health and safety standards but are also manufactured using halal-certified ingredients. The consistency that is integral to the supply chain explains the rising attractiveness and uptake of Islamic economy products among the global population.”

In closing, Abdulla Mohammed Al Awar reiterated DIEDC’s dedication to boosting the UAE’s Global Islamic Economy Indicator score through joint efforts with strategic partners to enhance the Islamic finance and banking sector – the only sector where the country placed second.

The State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2018/19 estimates that Muslims spent US$2.1 trillion across the food, beverage and lifestyle sectors in 2017, and forecasts spending to reach US$3 trillion by 2023. By category, food and beverage leads Muslim spend at US$1.3 trillion, followed by fashion at US$270 billion, media and recreation at US$209 billion, travel at US$177 billion, pharmaceuticals at US$87 billion and cosmetics at US$61 billion.

The Islamic economy has proven its ability to keep pace with the latest developments in technology and investment. Companies are adopting blockchain for payments to ensure halal compliance, and track food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products from the manufacturing facility to the retailer. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR) and the internet of things (IoT) are today attracting more investments than ever before.

Companies in the Islamic economy space are also tapping into the growing trend for natural and vegetarian products, from organic halal cosmetics to life-saving vaccines free from animal components.

There is significant scope for growth in the Islamic economy, with only US$745 million in disclosed private equity investments in the last three years, far below the approximately US$595 billion in global private equity and venture capital investments undertaken in 2017. While more government backing is needed in certain segments, there has been a nuanced focus on areas that can drive the advancement of the Islamic economy, especially regulation.

More companies are active in halal food than in any other sector of the Islamic economy. The product offering is expanding proportionately with the rising number of halal-certified ingredients, and companies are diversifying their portfolios to cater to increasingly sophisticated tastes. Regulatory oversight of halal food production is steadily improving, with the UAE and Malaysia taking the lead. With Muslim spend on food and beverages forecast to reach US$1.9 trillion by 2023, there are significant opportunities for investment and the establishment of global halal food brands.

For its part, the Islamic finance sector is fast becoming a force to reckon with, especially in member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Islamic banking penetration is on the rise, most notably in the UAE, while Islamic finance overtook conventional loans in Malaysia in 2017 as the main driver of growth of the domestic banking system. The sector has moved beyond the core hubs of the UAE and Malaysia to include new entrants from East Africa to Central Asia as governments seek to bolster financial inclusion. Sukuk issue continues to thrive – one of the key milestones for 2017 was the first dollar-denominated sukuk worth US$1 billion by an issuer from the GCC region. The value of assets in the burgeoning sector was estimated at US$2.4 trillion in 2017, and is expected to surge to US$3.8 trillion by 2023.

Halal travel is expanding through offering cultural, historical, religious and beach holidays. Muslim-friendly beach resorts are proving particularly popular, while governments in the Middle East as well as the Far East are enhancing services and facilities as the number of Muslims traveling abroad increases. Mainstream travel services are becoming Muslim-friendly, from timeshare holiday apartments in Dubai to a growing selection of apps and websites catering to Muslim travellers. Indeed, the digitalisation of halal travel is poised to drive the sector forward, boosted by the customisation of tour packages as halal travel companies harvest insights from data analytics. Muslims spent US$177 billion on travel in 2017, and the number is projected to reach US$274 billion by 2023.

Modest fashion has firmly moved into the mainstream, from models in hijabs walking down the catwalks for luxury brands to European fashion magazines sporting Muslim models on their covers. A notable shift has seen high street retailers launch their own modest fashion lines, from Macy’s in the USA to Marks & Spencer in the UK and H&M worldwide. Meanwhile, Malaysian actress Neelofa became the first hijab-wearing ambassador for French cosmetic brand Lancôme. Modest fashion brands continue to launch in OIC member countries, and Muslim millennials are setting new trends in both Muslim- and non-Muslim-majority countries. Muslim spend on clothing hit US$270 billion in 2017 and is forecast to reach US$361 billion by 2023.

Halal media and recreation is also broadening its appeal, from the big screen to a Muslim ‘Netflix’ for children. The Middle East is experiencing growing demand for Arabic content, with Netflix developing a local series.  Meanwhile, the UK held its first Muslim literature and culture festival, MFest. Muslims spent US$209 billion on media and entertainment in 2017, and this number is estimated to hit US$288 billion by 2023.

As is the case with halal food, the halal pharmaceuticals and cosmetics sector continues to expand along with the rise in halal certification of products and ingredients. Halal nutraceuticals are increasingly focusing on functionality. Furthermore, the halal pharmaceuticals segment has witnessed the emergence of a new concept, halalopathy, that combines spiritual healing with halal-sourced medication. In 2017, Muslim spend on pharmaceuticals reached US$87 billion and is predicted to hit US$131 billion by 2023, while halal cosmetics expenditure was estimated at US$61 billion and projected to reach US$90 billion by 2023.

To download the State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2018/19, please visit this link