No Immediate Plans to Shut Carrefour Stores in UAE, Majid Al Futtaim Confirms
- Publish date: Friday، 19 September 2025 Reading time: 1 min read
Despite shutting down stores in other Gulf countries, the retail giant reassures shoppers that Carrefour supermarkets in the UAE are here to stay.
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Shoppers can breathe easy—Carrefour isn’t packing up in the UAE anytime soon. While the chain has closed in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Jordan, Dubai-based Majid Al Futtaim (MAF), the operator behind Carrefour in the region, made it clear that there are no immediate plans to do the same here.
According to MAF’s retail chief executive, Gunther Helm, the decision to exit those countries had more to do with customer habits and tough retail conditions—not financial struggles.
HyperMax Steps In Elsewhere
In the markets where Carrefour did close, MAF quickly filled the gap with its own grocery brand, HyperMax. Think of it as Carrefour’s cooler, locally focused cousin. The concept is already gaining traction, with 44 stores up and running across Jordan and Oman, plus more rolling out in Bahrain.
The big idea? HyperMax supports local supply chains while tailoring the shopping experience to the community. Early reviews from shoppers? Overwhelmingly positive, according to MAF.
Retail Boom Still Strong
The retail scene in the Gulf is only getting bigger. A report by Alpen Capital predicts sales across the region will hit $386.9 billion by 2028—up from $309.6 billion in 2023. Rising populations, higher incomes, and tourism growth are fueling that surge, meaning plenty of room for big players like Carrefour and new experiments like HyperMax.