Singapore – Retail sales across Southeast Asia rose 13% year-on-year during Ramadan 2025, according to new data released by Criteo, with shoppers beginning their purchase journeys earlier while conversions remained concentrated closer to Eid.
The commerce media platform said its indexed data from retailers across the region showed that consumers are starting their product discovery earlier and navigating longer consideration journeys. The trend is expected to intensify in 2026, when Ramadan and Chinese New Year fall in the same week, creating a more compressed festive retail window.
Earlier discovery, longer journeys
According to the data, purchases made in the final two weeks of Ramadan 2025 involved an average of 19 days between a shopper’s first product visit and completed purchase. Some journeys extended beyond 50 days, suggesting that consumers are researching and comparing options well before peak sales periods.
Despite earlier discovery, conversion activity remained concentrated closer to Eid. Indonesia recorded a 35% uplift in retail sales during the final two weeks of Ramadan, peaking at 57% on 16 March. Malaysia saw sales rise 26%, reaching a peak of 52% on 23 March. Singapore experienced more stable sales patterns, which Criteo attributed to a more diversified retail calendar and consumer base.
Shopping aligned with Ramadan rhythms
Criteo’s findings also indicated that shopping activity followed Ramadan’s daily cadence. While afternoon hours continued to generate the highest overall sales, the largest uplift compared to pre-Ramadan levels occurred during Suhoor.
The increase was strongest in Indonesia between 3:00am and 5:00am, while in Malaysia activity shifted later, between 4:00am and 7:00am. The company said this highlights the importance of aligning engagement strategies with culturally relevant moments.
Category growth led by religious and ceremonial products
In terms of category demand, religious and ceremonial products recorded the strongest growth during Ramadan 2025, rising 54% across Southeast Asia. Apparel and accessories followed with an 18% increase, reflecting preparations for Eid celebrations.
Growth was also observed in home and garden, furniture, and food and beverages, suggesting that consumer intent spanned multiple categories rather than being limited to specific festive purchases.
Implications for 2026
Criteo said the behaviours observed during Ramadan 2025 provide an indication of what brands may face in 2026, when Ramadan and Chinese New Year overlap in the same week, compressing discovery, consideration and conversion into a shorter timeframe.
“Ramadan 2025 underscored a fundamental shift in how consumers plan and purchase—discovery is happening earlier, and shopping journeys are becoming increasingly fluid across channels,” said Sukesh Singh, managing director, SEA at Criteo.
“As festive moments begin to overlap, this behaviour will only accelerate. At Criteo, our AI-powered intelligence helps brands identify the right audiences at the right time and place, adding relevance across touchpoints and strengthening full-funnel, cross-channel outcomes. Brands that anticipate demand and stay relevant across the entire journey will be far better positioned to earn attention that drives higher conversion.”
Planning for a compressed festive calendar
The company advised brands to treat Ramadan as a multi-stage season rather than a short, promotion-led period. With shoppers beginning discovery weeks ahead of purchase while conversion activity concentrates closer to Eid, Criteo said marketers should build awareness and consideration early before shifting focus toward conversion nearer peak moments.
It also noted that overlapping festive events could compress demand, leading to shorter decision windows and heightened competition. Brands may need to ensure that budgets, inventory and activation plans can adjust quickly to capture high-intent moments.
Criteo further highlighted the importance of aligning campaign timing and messaging with Ramadan’s cultural and daily rhythms, designing strategies for non-linear purchase journeys, and relying on data-led optimisation and automation to adapt to shifting demand in real time.
