London retailers are bracing themselves for another "Ramadan Rush" of wealthy Middle Eastern customers this week as the 29-day Muslim fasting period ends.

West End favourites including Harrods and Selfridges usually enjoy a spike in luxury goods sales on either side of Ramadan, with Arabs spending on average 15 times more than Britons in the run-up to the religious event.

Visitors from the Gulf splash out nearly £2,000 per shopping trip on average before the fasting begins, boosting brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Prada.

After Ramadan last year, roughly 69% of the Middle Eastern spending in the UK was reportedly in Britain's major department and clothing stores.

According to card processing firm Worldpay, Middle Eastern visitors spent an average £152.40 per transaction in August 2013, a figure set to grow by 25% this year.

It said shoppers from Qatar spent the most, paying out £288.17 on average, compared with £64.41 by American spenders and £49 by those from Europe.

The Ramadan shopping trend has been seen for nearly a decade and retailers looking to capitalise on the influx of foreigners tend to bring in more multi-lingual staff and promote their tax-free prices.

Designer handbags, shoes, watches and jewellery all enjoy a surge in demand during the festivities, and the trend also boosts many of the capital's five-star hotels.