Emirates airline takes top spot for customer loyalty in the UAE

Almarai, Carrefour, iPhone and Etihad round out the top 5 brands in the YouGov survey

Despite the extended period of not being able to fly with Emirates during Covid-19, customers in the UAE have picked the Dubai-based airline as their favourite brand. Christopher Pike / Reuters

Dubai’s flag carrier Emirates airline is the leading brand in the UAE when it comes to customer loyalty, followed closely by the region's biggest dairy producer Almarai and supermarket operator Carrefour, according to a YouGov survey.

The YouGov Customer Loyalty Rankings 2020 ranked Emirates in first place with a loyalty score of 88.6 out of 100, while Almarai scored 83.1 and Carrefour 81.2. Rounding out the top five brands with the most loyal customers was iPhone in fourth place with a score of 81.1 and Etihad Airways with 79.7.

“Despite the extended period of not being able to fly with these brands, loyalty towards the brands has remained strong for both carriers,” market research firm YouGov said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Customer Loyalty Rankings 2020 Index calculated the loyalty rankings of 1,731 brands by determining the proportion of existing customers who would consider the same brand again. The survey was held between September 1, 2019, and August 31, 2020.

According to a KPMG report in February, seven in 10 UAE residents ranked product quality as the top feature that inspires loyalty, while six in 10 people consider value for money, customer service and product consistency as key to generating brand loyalty. Only four in 10 of UAE respondents identify points and rewards as an important factor in earning and retaining their loyalty.

Familiar FMCG brands consolidated their positions or rose up the YouGov rankings, owing to higher demand during the Covid-19 stay-at-home restrictions. Dettol moved up the UAE rankings from 10th place in 2019 to sixth position this year with a loyalty score of 77.8, followed by washing detergent brand Ariel (77.7), biscuit brand McVities (77.6) and Lurpak butter (76.5).

"Consumer brands dominate the list of improvers this year, highlighting the role of familiar FMCG power brands in maintaining comfort through periods of prolonged lockdown and social distancing," YouGov said.

Among the brands that registered the biggest improvement in customer loyalty in the past year, Majid Al Futtaim topped the list in the UAE, followed by Al Futtaim Group, Saadiyat Island, Yas Island Abu Dhabi, Mirinda, Fanta, Cheetos, flydubai and Acer.

In separate indexes, the YouGov Customer Loyalty Rankings 2020 found that Almarai was the top brand in Saudi Arabia, while Carrefour has the most loyal customers in Egypt.