How young Malay-Muslim women are spending and consuming

Young Malay-Muslims don’t hold back from making expensive purchases even when under financial stress, and they eagerly participate in conscious consumerism. Gen Z women in particular are choosing small and local brands across several categories.

These are just some of the key findings from The Rising Voices of Malay Muslims, a report created by VML Malaysia, with research covering three generational cohorts—Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z, as well as accounting for the urban/rural divide. The report claims to be among the first to truly understand the lives of Muslims in Malaysia—who account for 63.5% of its population—as consumers. Some of the most important findings from the report are:

Young Malay Muslims are embracing buy-now-pay-later to meet their lifestyle ambitions

Prohibitively expensive purchases are now within reach thanks to buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) options from companies like Grab, Atome, Lazada and Shopee. Particularly among Gen Z, a ‘value-per-use’ mindset prevails, where a RM200 jacket can be broken down into RM0.20 a day over a two-year period.

Rural does not equate to poor or disinclined to spend

Rural youth appear to be under less financial pressure than their urban counterparts thanks to a lower cost of living. A larger proportion of rural consumers spend freely (16%) compared to those living in urban areas (10%). Brands in Malaysia must improve their accessibility to rural consumers instead of primarily struggling to be heard in a cluttered and competitive environment by a relatively resource-strapped urban audience.

Gen Z women are the leading voices in brand boycotts

The rise of conscious consumerism has translated into a rebellion against brands that do not align with the socio-cultural and religious values of consumers. From October 2023 through 2024, Malay-Muslim youth have actively turned away from brands that they believe have an anti-Palestine stance. Among Gen Z women in the 18 to 24 age bracket, 89% actively boycott brands and influence or convince others to follow suit. The brands most affected by this are in the F&B space where it is easier to switch to homegrown options.

Local brands in line with cultural and lifestyle needs stand to grow faster

Malay-Muslim consumers prefer local options across categories, including groceries (93%), F&B (89%), and cleaning products (83%). Affordability, quality and reliability, and brand or cultural values are the top reasons to buy local, with a brand’s halal status being an important factor to consider. However, when it comes to durability and performance, global brands still have an edge and dominate categories such as electronics and home appliances (74%) and skincare (67%).

Speaking about the report, Kenni Loh, CEO of VML Malaysia, said, “The Malay-Muslim community in Malaysia is not only preserving its heritage but shaping a future where spiritual wellbeing and modern aspirations coexist seamlessly. Yet, 66% of those surveyed feel they are underrepresented by brands despite their growing influence. This underscores an urgent opportunity for brands to connect authentically by recognising these voices and addressing their evolving needs.”