Middle East

Street stalls/kiosks in the United Arab Emirates, severely impacted by the pandemic and related restrictions in 2020, continued to recover across all indicators in 2023. As the United Arab Emirates eased all COVID-19 restrictions in September 2022,…

The COVID-19 crisis had a very strong negative impact on the performance of street stalls/kiosks in Saudi Arabia. Both chained and independent street stalls/kiosks recorded big declines in foodservice value sales and the number of transactions as…

Self-service cafeterias in the United Arab Emirates witnessed growth across value sales, transactions and outlet numbers in 2023. The population of the United Arab Emirates increased over the review period supported by a significant rate of natural…

The self-service cafeterias category is expected to achieve a full recovery to a pre-pandemic level of value sales in 2023 and is expected to maintain healthy growth over the forecast period due to the growing number of expats entering the kingdom,…

Value sales, outlet numbers and number of transactions via limited-service restaurants in the United Arab Emirates all fell significantly in 2020, seeing double-digit declines due to the impact of COVID-19. However, the channel recorded a strong…

Vision 2030 is making Saudi Arabia one of the most attractive markets for investors worldwide. The goals of Vision 2030 are to increase the appeal of Saudi Arabia, not least in terms of entertainments like consumer foodservice. Prior to the COVID-19…

In 2023, value sales of full-service restaurants in the United Arab Emirates fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, despite a lag in terms of transaction and outlet numbers. However, an increase in unit prices drove higher spend per transaction. In…

In 2019, there was no 15% VAT (value-added tax) implementation, expats’ families were not liable for dependence fees, and inflation and the cost of utilities like electricity, as well as tuition fees, were significantly lower. Therefore, consumers…

In 2023, consumer foodservice in the United Arab Emirates experienced robust growth across all three indicators (outlets, transactions, and value sales), propelled by an array of factors contributing to a favourable business environment. The first…

The Saudi Arabian consumer foodservice market is expected to witness a full recovery to pre-pandemic levels in value terms in 2023. The market has seen growing consumption and the opening of new outlets, involving both new brands entering the market…

Value sales of consumer foodservice through travel in the United Arab Emirates fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels in 2023. This location benefited from the reopening of borders and the resumption of travel and tourism the previous year, with some…

Stand-alone maintained its dominant position in the Saudi Arabian consumer foodservice market in 2023. The strength of stand-alone locations is largely to do with the convenience and easy access they provide to consumers. There is a growing trend…

In 2023, cafés/bars in the United Arab Emirates gained further growth momentum following a full recovery to pre-pandemic value sales levels the previous year, benefiting both chained and independent operators. Specialist tea and coffee shops was one…

Cafés/bars was one of the categories in the consumer foodservice industry to be hit hardest by the COVID-19 crisis. The pandemic led to the closure of many outlets, especially cafés located in shopping centres, as those were extremely severely…

The number of street stalls/kiosks outlets in Israel has significantly increased since 2021. , re:bar and B Fresh have enjoyed significant growth in recent years, due to the health and wellness trend, which received a notable boost from the…

With the rising cost of living and the increased prices of products, limited-service restaurants continued to raise prices in 2023. In July, Pizza Hut and Domino's Pizza announced price hikes - Pizza Hut by an average of NIS5 per family pie and…

Full-service restaurants did not avoid the significant wave of price rises seen throughout the consumer foodservice industry at the end of the review period. Restaurants again saw significant price rises in 2023, as the price of dairy continued to…

The consumer foodservice market in Israel was very uncertain in terms of security, economic conditions and political unrest in 2023. At the end of 2022, there was considerable hope for the restaurant market, after the significant declines seen during…

After a strong recovery in 2022, consumer foodservice operations in travel locations experienced decline in 2023 due to the Israel-Hamas War. International travel to and from Israel significantly decreased as a result of the war, as did domestic…

There was a price increase for raw milk in the Israeli market in 2023. After prices rose for consumers in supermarkets, suppliers also increased prices for restaurants. In May 2023, Tnuva announced a 4.6% price hike for dairy products that are not…

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…

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…

Rising costs of living pose challenges globally, but companies can find opportunities in several categories, essential and discretionary, especially in underpenetrated fast-growing markets. By considering category adjacencies and focusing on value,…

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…

Full-service restaurants in the Middle East experienced a significant decline during the pandemic, due to their relatively high price and the nature of the category, that relies on dine-in experience. The post-pandemic recovery is accelerating every…

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…

As the end of 2021 approaches, almost two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the emergence and rapid spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant has increased uncertainty and weakened the momentum of the global recovery. This series of quarterly reports…

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has shaken up the consumer goods, services and payment industries in Sub-Saharan Africa, putting pressure on supply chains and depressing sales, as lockdowns and job losses squeeze discretionary spending. As a result of the…

This report considers what socialising will look like in a post-COVID-19 era, focusing on several key questions. A return to the “Roaring Twenties” in the beverages space or a continuing decimation of the on-trade? How has socialising changed (eg…

As consumers prepare fewer meals overall, while demanding more assistance for the ones they do, spending and brand equity will accrue to those companies providing fresh prepared meals on demand, from delivery aggregators to retailers, restaurant…

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…

As the COVID-19 pandemic drives seismic shifts across consumer markets, the key question facing business strategists is which of these changes are more reactionary in nature versus signalling the start of a long-term behavioural shift. This briefing…

Technological advances are creating unprecedented change across consumer-facing industries. The Digital Consumer Survey, fielded in March and April, offers insight into the pace and depth of this evolution, tracking consumer behaviour, attitudes,…