RIYADH: The UAE’s retail trade sector is continuing to profit from a government-led scheme offering discounts of up to 75 percent on luxury brands and consumer goods for the second week in a row, according to a statement. Sharjah Shopping Promotions was launched by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Dec. 15, is expected to continue up until Jan. 29 throughout the emirate. "Sharjah Shopping Promotions is one of the major annual events organized by the chamber to highlight Sharjah"s economic, social, cultural and touristic position and contribute to revitalizing commercial activity and securing its sustainable growth,” director of economic relations and marketing at SCCI and general coordinator of the event Ibrahim Rashid Al Jarwan said in a statement. "The chamber is committed to developing innovative work mechanisms in order to create an environment that stimulates promotional and entertainment events and attracts large numbers of visitors who can enjoy their time watching the winter events and activities organized by tourist destinations, attractions, and shopping centers," head of the SCCI"s Festival and Shows Department Hana Al Suwaidi said. In October, Google released a new study, conducted by Ipsos, highlighting the key shopping habits of consumers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia ahead of the Black Friday — or White Friday as it’s known in the region — shopping season. The study findings, along with internal insights by Google, were shared with advertisers and industry experts at Google’s superstore pop-up event in Dubai earlier this month. According to Google’s internal data, consumers in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt showed more interest in searching for Black Friday deals on the internet, compared to consumers in Brazil, the UK, and the US. The new study by Ipsos explores the key changes in the consumer journey when purchasing during the Black Friday season. “The shopping season has been gaining massive significance in shoppers’ lifestyles in the last couple of years. The pandemic has most definitely increased the relevance of online shopping and pushed retailers to use early promotions to pull holiday sales forward,” Ziad Issa, chief client officer of Ipsos Media, told Arab News in October.