Shopping at Lulu vs Carrefour in the UAE
Carrefour and Lulu Hypermarket are two of the biggest retail supermarket chains in the UAE. While both offer a variety of excellent facilities to their customers, their product range, prices and services are slightly different from each other. If you want to know the differences between the two, this comparison of Carrefour vs Lulu will help you make an informed choice.
Number of Branches
Lulu Hypermarket and Carrefour have a strong presence across the UAE. Lulu has 489 branches across the UAE, including 103 Lulu Hypermarket branches in Abu Dhabi, 156 in Dubai, 69 in Sharjah and 59 in Al Ain. Smaller emirates, such as Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain, also have over 30 branches each.
Carrefour, on the other hand, operates 31 hypermarkets and 73 supermarkets in the UAE, with 28 located in Dubai and more than 5 in Abu Dhabi.
Types of Products
Both Carrefour supermarkets and Lulu offer a wide range of products, including basic grocery items and home appliances.
Lulu, however, offers a wider selection of fashion and home furnishings products. Their ethnic clothing collection features items such as kurtas, sarees and frocks, which aren’t available at Carrefour. LuLu also offers a wide variety of imported cooking ingredients and products from India, Pakistan and the Philippines, making it popular amongst expats looking for flavours from home.
Carrefour offers a diverse selection of food brands from across the UAE, as well as from the UK. Their offerings in food are very similar to those of LuLu, except that Carrefour has non-halal food sections in their branches in Ibn Batuta Mall and Mall of the Emirates. Here, one can find fresh bacon, sausages and snacks.
Their electronics section is also excellent, offering fantastic service and a wide range of products – from smartphones, tablets and laptops to necessities such as hair dryers, dishwashers, freezers, microwaves and more.
Prices of Basic Grocery Items
A price comparison of Carrefour vs Lulu shows that items are sold at a fairly similar price. For instance, 500 ml of fresh milk is available for as low as AED 2.99 at Carrefour, whereas the same quantity can be purchased from Lulu for AED 3.25. This is because Carrefour has its own brand that sells a wide range of items at lower prices. Items such as milk powder, coffee creamer, sugar, water and cooking oil are hence available at slightly lower prices.
Similarly, both offer a diverse selection of fruits and vegetables, based on seasonal availability. Carrefour, however, has a slightly more premium variety, especially in the larger stores.
When it comes to meat, their prices vary based on the type of meat, quantity and brand. While Carrefour also offers a variety of high-quality meats, Lulu boasts an extensive selection of options sourced from India, Pakistan, Australia, Brazil, Norway and New Zealand. Meat is slightly cheaper in LuLu.
Types of Services
Several banks in Dubai and Abu Dhabi offer their customers discounts and other benefits at Lulu and Carrefour. These include ADCB and Emirates NBD. ADCB Lulu Platinum Credit Card holders can earn 8% back on every purchase, along with other benefits. Similarly, Emirates NBD’s LuLu 247 Mastercard Platinum Credit Card offers 7% back on Lulu in-store and online spends, 4% on fuel, 2% on utility bill payments and 0.7% on other miscellaneous expenses.
Additionally, there is a SHARE rewards programme as well. SHARE members can earn points by shopping across all the popular Majid Al Futtaim stores. You can later use them for your purchase at Carrefour using these points.
Delivery Options
Lulu offers two types of delivery options: ‘Scheduled,’ which delivers on the following day and ‘Quick,’ for delivery within 60 minutes.
Carrefour also offers a similar delivery service, the regular option, which delivers by the next day. Now by Carrefour is an express delivery system that operates in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, offering delivery within 60 minutes.
Payment Options
You can use credit and debit cards, cash, vouchers, store coupons, cashback tickets, gift cards and ADCB vouchers at both Lulu and Carrefour. Carrefour, however, also offers the SHAREPay and Cash on Delivery (COD) option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is more affordable in the UAE: Carrefour or LuLu?
Carrefour is slightly more affordable when comparing the prices of many products, with its brand offering slashed rates for many household goods.
However, meat and fish are slightly cheaper at LuLu than at Carrefour.
Which hypermarket offers the widest variety of imported products?
Carrefour has imported goods from the UK, EU and the US, while LuLu has imported goods from India, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, catering to Asian expatriates.
Are there Carrefour or LuLu branches near major residential communities?
Carrefour Hypermarket and LuLu are typically located in malls or shopping centres, but Carrefour Markets – a smaller supermarket – can be found in most residential communities
While both Carrefour and Lulu are among the most popular supermarkets in the UAE, you can also explore other supermarket chains in the country. There are many supermarkets in Dubai where you can buy groceries. If you are living in the capital and want to stock up your pantry, supermarkets in Abu Dhabi could be the best bet. For those living in northern regions, supermarkets in Sharjah are the go-to destinations for grocery shopping.
Stay updated on grocery shopping in the UAE and the best retailers with MyBayut, the region’s biggest property blog.
