Middle East

Like many snacks categories in the United Arab Emirates, sugar confectionery was negatively affected in 2020 by the emergence of the pandemic, whereby lockdown measures and the closure of schools resulted in a significant decline in sales. In the…

Demand for sugar confectionery was negatively impacted in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, which led to lockdowns and schools being closed. Limited mobility and on-the-go impulse purchases, especially amongst children, were major factors in the…

Sugar confectionery saw a return to positive volume growth in 2023, following a decline in the previous year. The latter was primarily due to was due falling sales of Strauss Group’s Must and Elite brands, following a salmonella scare in one its…

Snacks in the United Arab Emirates play a significant role in consumers’ lives. The motivation for purchasing snacks can be for various reasons, including an energy boost, hunger management, nutrient intake, mood enhancement, and social engagement.…

Saudi Arabia continues to move towards its Vision 2030 goal of diversifying the local economy, which is having a significant impact on the country’s openness to trade. New developments are being constantly undertaken, while new investments…

Sales continue to rise in all snacks categories as population growth and high income levels support rising demand. Consumers are looking to healthier options at a time of spreading knowledge about the dangers of highly processed foods and their role…

After being negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, sales of snacks finally began to improve in 2022. The removal of pandemic-related restrictions and the return of tourism in 2023 continued to support rising demand. While the…

Healthy growth rates were recorded in both volume and value terms in the Middle East and Africa snacks market in 2023. This followed stagnating volume sales and a decline in real value terms in 2022, when consumers in many countries were seeing their…

With consumer spending still under huge pressure, Lebanon’s snacks brands faced muted demand in 2023, although volume sales did increase in all categories of snacks over the course of the year. Local players remain dominant in most categories,…

Snacks remain popular in Kuwait seeing healthy growth in 2022 and 2023. Sales are being supported by the expansion of modern grocery retailers and the rise of e-commerce which is improving access to a range of snacks. Despite this, the country’s high…