The UK Department for International Trade (DIT) and
Egyptian British Chamber of Commerce (EBCC) organised their
first retail webinar to explore retail and e-commerce
opportunities for British companies in the Egyptian market.
More than 50 attendees joined the webinar, among them Sir
, the
UK Trade Envoy to Egypt, who highlighted the growth in
opportunities for UK brands in overseas markets. Dr Ibrahim
Ashmawy, Deputy Minister of Supply and Internal Trade, also
provided a macro-economic overview of the Egyptian market.
A number of Egyptian and British companies participated as
well, including Jumia, the Talaat Moustafa Group,
Superdrug, the Entertainer, and TK Maxx. The Matalan
Company, which entered the market earlier this year, also
joined the meeting to share its success story in Egypt: it
is now aiming to expand to reach 20 stores across the
country.
The webinar also provided a platform for UK retailers to
learn about the Egyptian market, including how to overcome
market access barriers and how to connect to Egyptian
partners.
Sir
said:
We view Egypt as a country with huge potential, and one
worth investing in. We consider it as our gateway to
Africa especially with its advantageous location, the
good international and domestic transport links, and all
the existing trade agreements with Africa, the EU, and
the Arab Region.’
Following the implementation of major economic reforms,
Egypt has seen notable macro-economic improvements and was
named one of the fastest growing economies in the world in
2019.
Ian Gray OBE, Chairman of the Egyptian-British Chamber of
Commerce.:
With a population of nearly 100 million - expanding by
roughly 2 million every year - Egypt is a sizeable market
for retailers and manufacturers of consumer goods. As we
witness the growth of modern retail space in Egypt, we
see major international brands move into the market. As a
Chamber, we recognise major growth potential in this
sector, and actively work in partnership with the
Department for International Trade (DIT) to foster new
partnerships between UK retail brands and Egypt’s
commercial developers.
