Market research
in Morocco
Consumer research, customer experience, data intelligence, media intelligence and opinion: how IMMAR supports advertisers, agencies and institutions in the Moroccan market since 1999.
The Moroccan market at a glance
Morocco is one of North Africa's most diversified economies, driven by recognised industrial hubs in automotive (around Tangier and Kenitra) and aerospace, a leading tourism sector and a solid services base. Consumption is concentrated largely along the Casablanca, Rabat axis and the major cities (Marrakech, Tangier, Fès), where modern retail is growing, led by chains such as Marjane, Carrefour (Label'Vie) and Aswak Assalam, along with the rise of discount formats. Neighbourhood trade, embodied by the local grocer (moul lhanout), nonetheless remains dominant in food, and the economy is still largely attached to cash payment, even as mobile payment and instant transfer grow.
Conducting research in Morocco: what matters in the field
Running reliable research in the Moroccan market means taking several realities into account:
- Survey languages: Moroccan Arabic (Darija) is the everyday language of the general public; French stays relevant for business segments and Amazigh is useful depending on the region. Every interview is administered in the language actually spoken.
- Dual distribution system: the neighbourhood grocer (moul lhanout) remains the majority channel in food, while modern retail and discount formats gain ground in the major cities. Shopper studies must cover both worlds.
- Urban concentration: modern consumption plays out largely along the Casablanca, Rabat axis, complemented by Marrakech, Tangier and Fès, which shapes sampling plans.
- Cash economy: cash payment remains predominant and part of the population stays under-banked, even as mobile payment and instant transfer grow. This context weighs on the purchase and payment journeys to measure.
- Combined collection modes: face-to-face remains central, complemented by mobile and online modes in urban centres, where mobile penetration is high and e-commerce is spreading.
The sectors IMMAR covers in Morocco
In the Moroccan market, IMMAR supports players across several sectors, with set-ups tailored to each:
- FMCG: consumer understanding, brand tracking, retail execution
- Telecommunications: customer experience, network quality, brand image
- Automotive: purchase intentions, dealer mystery shopping, satisfaction
- Banking and financial services: trust, customer experience, network audit
- Retail: mystery shopping, in-store experience, shopper studies
- Media: audience, editorial intelligence, ad monitoring
A response built around your question
Every assignment starts with a question, posed by an advertiser, an agency, an institution or a local player. That question shapes which expertise is brought to bear. IMMAR brings together five complementary areas:
| Area of expertise | What it enables |
|---|---|
| Consumer Research | Quantitative and qualitative studies, panels, U&A, segmentation: understanding local behaviours, needs and usage |
| Customer Experience | NPS, CSAT, mystery shopping, network audits: measuring the service quality actually delivered |
| Data Intelligence & AI | Data analysis and activation, decision dashboards, modelling |
| Media Intelligence | Media monitoring, audience measurement, ad monitoring, social listening |
| Opinion & Society | Barometers, opinion studies, societal and institutional dynamics |
A market research or Market Intelligence project in the Moroccan market?
Talk to an IMMAR expertFrequently asked questions
How do you conduct market research in Morocco?
Administer instruments in Darija for the general public, with French for business segments and Amazigh depending on the region, combine face-to-face with mobile and online modes in the major cities, and account for a dual system where the neighbourhood grocer (moul lhanout) remains dominant against a growing modern retail sector. IMMAR deploys local teams and long-standing field knowledge.
Which language should studies be conducted in, in Morocco?
Moroccan Arabic (Darija) is the everyday language of the general public and the one that ensures data quality. French stays relevant for business segments and professionals, and Amazigh is useful depending on the region. IMMAR builds multilingual set-ups where the target justifies it.
How do you cover both modern retail and neighbourhood trade in Morocco?
The local grocer (moul lhanout) remains the majority channel in food, while modern retail (Marjane, Carrefour, Aswak Assalam) and discount formats grow in the major cities. IMMAR builds set-ups that measure both channels: audits and shopper studies in modern retail, collection tailored to neighbourhood trade.
Why is the Moroccan market strategic?
Morocco is one of North Africa's most diversified economies, with recognised industrial hubs in automotive and aerospace, a leading tourism sector and a solid services base. Its consumption is concentrated along the Casablanca, Rabat axis and the major cities, where modern retail is growing against a resilient neighbourhood trade, in an economy still largely attached to cash. This combination makes it a market on the move where fine field knowledge is decisive.
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