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…

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,…

Almost uniquely among fmcg industries, tobacco legislation is not simply a guiding element or a means of enforcing consumer standards but a central determining factor in the performance of tobacco markets. As the cumulative de-normalising impact of…

Although tobacco usage is declining globally, the United Arab Emirates maintains strong and rising consumer demand, and consistent growth was seen within the industry in 2022. After some turbulence in the growth rate due to COVID-19, most tobacco…

Cigarettes remained the largest category in tobacco in Saudi Arabia in 2022, despite the growing trend towards heated tobacco. However, the number of people quitting smoking continues to increase, due to better informed health awareness among…

A strict approach towards the sale of tobacco products and smoking in public and educational campaigns form the core of Qatar’s efforts to reduce smoking prevalence. Qatar has modernised and promulgated its tobacco laws in recent years and this…

The tobacco market in Oman is still recovering after the introduction of a 100% excise tax in 2019. In this environment, consumer demand has shifted towards lower-priced cigarettes, while cigarettes volume sales continued to decline in 2022. The…

The ongoing economic crisis in 2022 has forced many smokers to abandon imported global cigarette brands as prices have risen steeply, with local brand Cedars the big winner. Low awareness of the harms of smoking means that few smokers have chosen to…

Tobacco remains under pressure in 2022, despite the pandemic coming to an end. Cigarettes continues to see volume decline, while cigars and cigarillos have returned to growth after witnessing decline in 2021. The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020…

While the COVID-19 pandemic did not negatively impact tobacco in 2022, tax-paid cigarettes remain under pressure due to rising taxes, falling income levels and the strong presence of illicit trade. Despite more intense efforts to control smuggling,…

Having performed strongly during 2020, retail current value sales of tobacco declined for the first time in four years in 2021 and once again in 2022. Notably, cigarettes saw moderate decline in both retail volume and current value terms in 2022.…

Iraq’s tobacco industry began to struggle for positive volume growth in 2022 despite the rapid growth seen in reduced harm options such as heated tobacco and e-vapour products. In most cases, local smokers are intent on reducing the amount they smoke…

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the consumer goods market in Sub-Saharan Africa, with recovery expected to take place over time. Consumers expenditure has been negatively affected, as value seeking consumers shift to essential products. The…

The product range available in open vaping systems in the United Arab Emirates has expanded, as Vaporesso entered the market in 2022. Vaporesso is a premium vape brand that is now present in 50 markets. It is from Shenzhen Smoore Technology Co Ltd,…

Electronic cigarette usage is increasing significantly among young local consumers, even though they cannot legally be sold to minors. This is because the supervision in this product area has been deficient. In 2022, 33% of teenagers reported having…

Heated tobacco products continue to boom in Saudi Arabia, gaining a lot of popularity – especially so among younger generations of consumers of the legal smoking age, who find such smoking methods fashionable and attractive. Indeed, many consumers…

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…

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…

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…

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…