The Dubai Consumer Protection and Fair Trade Authority, part of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, announced the launch of a specialized task force for the online food delivery sector, including stakeholders from both the public and private sectors.

In this context, the authority also issued new guidelines for the sector to complement the task force’s work. These guidelines were prepared in consultation with stakeholders to enhance competitiveness, raise business standards, and attract more investments and business.

The authority stated yesterday that to achieve the best results, the new guidelines were shared with business owners and operators to identify best practices in key sector areas, including terms of dealing with food companies, transparency, and data access. The guidelines were prepared based on feedback from delivery service operators, food companies, and relevant entities, aiming to encourage competitiveness and support sector growth.

While the guidelines are primarily directed at operators, they will positively impact Dubai’s overall food delivery ecosystem, aligning with the authority’s mandate and Dubai’s ongoing commitment to building a fair and competitive digital economy under the Dubai Economic Agenda “D33”.

Ahmed Ali Mousa, Director of Fair Trade and Business Protection at the Dubai Consumer Protection and Fair Trade Authority, said: “The online food delivery sector has witnessed significant growth in recent years, and we appreciate the important role of all companies and specialized platforms in supporting growth and innovation in Dubai’s food and hospitality sector.”

He added: “Based on the importance of genuine partnership between the public and private sectors, we established a new task force including entities working in this field, and developed these guidelines with partners to encourage sustainable growth and elevate business standards to new heights, while enhancing cooperation, transparency, and fair competition to serve the interests of all stakeholders.”

According to a study by Statista Research, revenues in the UAE’s online food delivery market are expected to exceed five billion dirhams by 2025, with a projected compound annual growth rate of over 3% in the coming years, reaching about six billion dirhams by 2030.

It is noted that the accommodation and food services sector accounted for 3.4% of Dubai’s GDP in 2024, confirming its prominent role in boosting economic growth.