Middle East

Technological advances in 2024 will continue to reshape consumer behaviour. This annual report explores the top five digital shopper trends that will redefine commerce the most in the year ahead. Some of the trends included in this report’s edition…

Robotic vacuum cleaners are starting to gain relevance in Saudi Arabia, seeing growing volume sales following a sluggish and/or negative performance over the review period. This is attributed to ongoing economic developments in the Kingdom, with…

Health and wellness trends, as enhanced by both the era of the pandemic and the government’s healthy living promotions as part of the Saudi Vision 2030, have inspired consumers to adopt healthy eating habits. In turn, this has encouraged interest in…

Saudi Arabia boasts one of the largest home appliances markets in the Middle East region, owing to consumers’ enhanced lifestyles and strong purchasing power, thanks to thanks to increasing job security, more women and youth in the workforce, and the…

In a cross-category trend, Dyson’s new pop-up stores across Riyadh and Jeddah, allow consumers to test personal care appliances prior to purchase. The pop-ups are cited as test stores, situated across malls (Panorama Mall, Nakheel Mall, Granada Mall,…

Microwaves have evolved from appliances of dubious reputation which simply eat food, to versatile products which offer a variety of options. Indeed, modern microwaves can bake, grill, heat and defrost, thereby combining baking and microwaving tasks…

Sales of large cooking appliances are supported by overall demand due to population growth in the Kingdom. As seen in other essential consumer appliance categories (eg refrigeration appliances), large cooking appliances benefit from the various…

Hygiene is a key trend seen in home laundry appliances since the era of the pandemic, in line with many health and wellness trends, whereby consumers have been paying more attention to their health and the cleanliness of their surroundings. As such,…

In a cross-category trend, ongoing urbanisation and population growth in the Kingdom are also underpinning demand for food preparation appliances. Notably, the trend for modern and smart-connected homes is leading consumers to increasingly seek…

In line with energy-efficiency initiatives and developments, across multiple categories of consumer appliances, new energy consumption standards are being set for dishwashers.

Consumer appliances is seeing steady overall volume and value growth in Saudi Arabia, supported by ongoing urbanisation in the Kingdom. This is further supported by strong inbound tourism and the growth of various industries in Saudi Arabia, in line…

Air conditioners in Saudi Arabia have historically benefitted the most in the central region of the country, which is home to some of the biggest and most populous cities, including the capital, Riyadh. The hot weather in the country is also…

Although the average unit price of vacuum cleaners increased in 2022 and 2023 driven by the introduction of new, more sophisticated models, there was also an increase in competition that led to the availability of less expensive middle range options.…

Despite the much lower average unit price of such products and their popularity in Israeli cuisine, slow cookers are seeing demand wane as consumers shift towards multi-cookers, which offer a slow cooking function together with functions such as air…

Prices increased by 10-15% for most brands in late 2022. In anticipation of this, in the first and second quarters of 2022, distributors placed large orders ahead of the price increases. At the same time, consumer demand slumped, which meant a…

Because of the volatile political situation and challenging economic environment, consumers’ reduced spending power was strongly focused on essential items in 2023. If they did choose to spend money on non-essentials, however, they tended to do so on…

As was the case for most areas of consumer appliances, microwaves saw prices rise in 2022 and 2023. As well as the inflationary pressures faced by most categories, the increase in prices seen in microwaves was partly driven by the introduction of…

In January 2023, Israel saw a surge in housing supply with 53,000 unsold homes. Nonetheless, the slowing down of the housing market led to depressed demand for large cooking appliances at the beginning of 2023. Moreover, this trend continued as the…

In late 2022, prices increased by 10-15%. Distributors placed big orders ahead of these price increases. Moreover, consumer demand fell significantly, leading to a surplus of inventory in 2023. Consumers were reluctant to invest in big ticket items…

After the uplift in sales in 2020 and 2021, when the COVID-19 crisis led to a marked increase in people cooking at home and, therefore, a rise in consumers investing in cooking equipment, the food preparation appliances category saw a decline in…

In September 2022, Israel removed the requirement for the Standards Institute of Israel to inspect household and industrial electrical products when they were being imported. Importers can now self-declare compliance with EU regulations, enabling…

Overall, the consumer appliances market in Israel was navigating political uncertainties in 2023, while embracing change through regulatory reforms and an emphasis on energy efficient technologies. After the big surge in sales with the COVID-19…

As the weather is getting warmer in Israel, consumers are forced to replace their air conditioners more often. As a result, demand for air conditioners and cooling fans remains constant. Furthermore, many consumers replace their air conditioners…

Sales of handheld vacuum cleaners are currently on the rise in the United Arab Emirates, driven by the introduction of new and improved products. While cylinder vacuum cleaners still dominate demand with their well-established cleaning power,…

The increasing demand for multifunctional appliances in the United Arab Emirates is being driven by several key factors. Notably, the rising interest in health-conscious cooking, combined with the need to optimise limited kitchen space, is propelling…

Demand for refrigeration appliances in the United Arab Emirates continues to recover in 2023, driven by ongoing efforts in product innovation, continuous development of new products, and the integration of valuable enhancements. Factors such as the…

Personal care appliances in the United Arab Emirates is evolving in line with shifts in consumer spending habits, with a notable uptick in demand for innovative personal care devices such as smart hair stylers, facial cleansing devices, and electric…

Amid ongoing trends, players are steadfastly focusing on innovation as a pivotal strategy to drive sales of microwaves. In the United Arab Emirates, there is a distinct emphasis on energy consumption, a factor presenting limitations on sales growth…

While retail volume growth of large cooking appliances is slowing in 2023, higher current value growth is primarily being influenced by surging commodity prices driven by high inflation rates. As a result, local consumers are either deferring their…

One of Western Europe's leading home laundry appliance brands, Beko, has introduced an eco-friendly line to promote sustainable living to consumers. Aligned with the brand’s sustainability mission, the range claims to offer reliability, high…

Despite economic variables, such as inflation and fluctuations in the housing market, demand for food preparation appliances remains resilient. While these factors can influence consumer spending, innovative product offerings and changing consumer…

In the United Arab Emirates, many local consumers now value the energy-saving capabilities of dishwashers more than their average initial cost of AED2,762 (as of mid-2023). Their primary concern is the dishwasher's electricity and water consumption…

Demand for consumer appliances in the United Arab Emirates continues to gain momentum in 2023, shaped by a variety of key trends. Innovation remains paramount for players as they strive to meet evolving consumer preferences. Despite inflationary…

Demand for air treatment products in the United Arab Emirates, in particular air conditioners, continues to grow strongly in 2023, driven by several factors. The region's hot weather is a significant catalyst, prompting a higher demand for cooling…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries in Q4 2023 and 2024. Global inflation is moderating, although divergence remains among the key economies. Higher volatility in the energy markets and disruption of…

In the upcoming years, consumers and businesses face an array of challenges, with rising income inequality being among the key ones. Nevertheless, addressing the income inequality through catering to the Bottom of the Pyramid and the Middle Class…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries. In 2023, global inflation is expected to ease from its peak in 2022, but remaining significantly above-trend. Geopolitical risks and uncertainty in the energy market are…

Now in its seventh edition, this report explores the top digital shopper trends that will redefine commerce the most in the year ahead. Some of the trends included in this edition touch on topics such as second-hand shopping, community group buying,…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries. Global inflation is reaching a peak, although geopolitical risks and uncertainty in the energy market remain key risks. The impact varies between countries, with…

The briefing introduces the Cities Households Necessities Spending Index. The index ranks 1,075 cities by household expenditure on non-discretionary items, namely food, housing, and clothing and footwear. This analysis focuses on 160 major cities.…

Slower growth, surging inflation, rising geopolitical risks and an accelerating deglobalisation trend are factors shaping the global economic, financial and trade landscape in 2022 and beyond. Despite the challenges, there are opportunities for…

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant changes in business models and consumer behaviour, as well as altering the ways and the geography many of us live, work, study and play. Understanding what changes will stick after the pandemic…

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered the most severe global recession since World War II. In Q4 2020, the end of the pandemic started as countries began administering effective vaccines among the population; however, vaccine distribution…