For decades, the month of Chaabane has marked Morocco's largest FMCG shopping peak, as households traditionally stock up ahead of Ramadan. In 2026, however, that pattern was far less pronounced. Rather than making most of their Ramadan purchases during Chaabane, Moroccan consumers delayed more of their shopping until the holy month itself, signalling a notable shift in one of the country's most established seasonal shopping behaviours.
The change was also reflected in first quarter purchasing trends (Q1 2026 vs. Q1 2025). Moroccan households bought 5% fewer FMCG packs, while spending per buyer remained broadly unchanged (+0.2%), indicating that consumers maintained their grocery budgets while purchasing fewer products and managing their baskets more selectively.
"What makes Ramadan 2026 remarkable is not that Moroccans celebrated Ramadan differently, but that they prepared for it differently. For years, retailers and manufacturers could rely on Chaabane as the market's most predictable demand peak. This year's findings suggest consumers are becoming far more agile in how they manage household inventories, shifting purchases closer to consumption and reducing their reliance on advance stockpiling. This behavioural change has important implications for demand forecasting, promotional planning and inventory management across the FMCG industry.", said Mounia Markhouss, Account & Business Development Director, Worldpanel by Numerator Morocco.
A broader shift in shopping behaviour
The trend was visible across every consumer profile. Compared with Q1 2025, semi-rural households recorded the sharpest decline, with spending per buyer down 8% and packs per buyer down 14%. Northern Morocco followed a similar pattern, while softer purchasing trends were observed across most regions and socioeconomic groups.
Continued pressure on household budgets, rising fuel prices, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and changing purchasing priorities may all have contributed to more cautious purchasing decisions. Regardless of the underlying drivers, the data points to a common trend: Moroccan households became more selective in the way they built their Ramadan baskets.
Not every category followed the same trajectory. Products associated with sharing occasions proved particularly resilient. Salty Snacks, for example, generated 2.8 additional purchase occasions compared with the same period last year, highlighting that products linked to Ramadan gatherings continued to perform well despite the more cautious shopping environment.
Categories most dependent on pre-Ramadan shopping
The weaker Chaabane shopping peak did not affect all categories equally. Products that have historically relied on advance Ramadan shopping were naturally the most exposed to this year's shift in purchasing behaviour.
Hard Cheese, Powder Milk, Fresh Cheese, Sauces and Bouillons consistently rank among the categories most dependent on Chaabane purchases, as households traditionally buy them ahead of Ramadan preparations.
Despite this shift, Dairy remained Morocco's leading Ramadan FMCG sector, underlining its enduring importance during the holy month.
Within Dairy, however, consumer preferences continued to evolve. During Q1 2026 versus Q1 2025, Fresh Cheese recorded a 20% increase in volume per buyer, while Cream grew 6% and expanded household penetration by 13 percentage points. By contrast, Processed Cheese (-9%), Lben (-21%), Butter and Milk lost momentum, suggesting households are increasingly reallocating spending within the category rather than reducing dairy consumption overall.
"For brands and retailers, understanding when consumers shop may soon become just as important as understanding what they buy. Ramadan remains Morocco's most important consumption season, but Moroccan households are becoming more flexible in the way they prepare for it. As these behavioural shifts continue, brands and retailers will need to rethink long-held assumptions about how demand builds ahead of the holy month", Markhouss concluded.
If you would like to plan ahead your brand strategy for Ramadan 2027, please reach out to our local experts.
Mounia Markhouss
Account & Business Development Director
Worldpanel by Numerator Morocco
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