By: Ahmed Abuelhamd
Marketing ResearcherÂ
The Middle East and North Africa is one of the youngest corners of the planet. Nearly half the population (47%) is aged 0–24, and about one in four is between 10–24. This is not just a demographic fact—it’s a marketing earthquake.
Meet Gen Z (born 1997–2012) and Millennials (1981–1996): the first generations to experience climate change in real time, not just read about it. From extreme heat waves to wildfires and tsunamis, they’ve seen enough to make environmental responsibility personal. Add globalisation and the internet to the mix, and they’re plugged into a shared global conversation that blends trends, education, activism, and a vision for a more sustainable, peaceful future.
Mobile is their megaphone. Average mobile data use in MENA is set to triple by 2030, driven by video-first browsing and social discovery. Two-thirds of consumers in the region discover new brands on social media, and most have been convinced to buy by an influencer or celebrity. The catch? A claim made in the morning can be celebrated or dismantled by evening, making transparency not just smart marketing but brand survival.
The next wave of brand loyalty is being shaped by principles as much as products. According to the ASDA’A BCW Arab Youth Survey, 65% of young people in GCC countries, 58% in North Africa, and 51% in the Levant say they would support a boycott of brands that harm the environment or breach their ethics. Globally, the momentum is the same—60% of consumers say sustainability matters in their purchase decisions, 57% are willing to change buying habits for it, and 52% want products with less packaging.
Millennials, often assumed to be price-sensitive, are showing they are ready to pay for values. Seven in ten say they are willing to pay more for sustainable goods, and PwC’s Voice of the Consumer 2024 pegs the average acceptable premium at around 10%. This is the number many Middle Eastern retailers are now testing as they expand their sustainable product lines.
Sustainability is moving from boardroom ambition to embedded practice. Eight in ten companies in MENA now have a formal sustainability strategy, and more than half have integrated it across their operations. Around half either already have, or will soon appoint, a Chief Sustainability Officer. But ambition alone isn’t enough—investors want verifiable proof. Unsupported claims risk damaging not only brand image but also financial relationships.
Across the region, the brands winning trust are those that show results. In Gulf hospitality, eco-certified hotel portfolios have grown by 150% since 2023, with guests spending 26% more at certified properties. In North Africa, where agriculture consumes 85% of freshwater withdrawals, drip irrigation in Jordan has reduced water use by 20–50% while increasing yields by 15–20%. In the UAE, Abu Dhabi’s single-use bag ban has cut plastic bag use by 95%, saving more than 360 million bags since 2022. Even in logistics, small operational changes like better delivery routing are reducing fuel use by 8–20%, proving that incremental improvements can deliver measurable impact.
Progress is real but uneven. Inconsistent reporting, fragmented sustainability standards, and underdeveloped emissions-tracking capabilities are slowing momentum. Companies are responding with standardised templates, targeted training, and stronger internal controls, but achieving full regional alignment will take time. The winners will be those that navigate this complexity without losing transparency.
Marketers are adapting to this new environment by replacing broad slogans with substantiated claims. Rather than flooding audiences with endless numbers, they are focusing on a small set of clear, comparable metrics, consistently tracked over time. Storytelling is becoming verifiable storytelling—short videos tagged with locations, time stamps, and certificate numbers are replacing glossy, unsubstantiated imagery. Pricing strategies are also becoming more scientific, with brands testing small premiums around the global benchmark of 9.7–10% and expanding only if demand holds. Involving youth directly is another growing tactic, with brands setting up advisory panels of students and young professionals to review claims before launch.
The future of branding in MENA will belong to brands that act like open books. Proof will replace puffery, and data will matter more than taglines. The most trusted names will be those that can show local, visible change—whether it’s cleaner water, smarter farming, greener hotels, or fewer bags at checkout. In this youth-driven market, sustainability will no longer be a campaign—it will be the company’s operating system.
