Middle East

Fresh milk is seeing a revival in volume sales in 2023 following a decline in the previous year due to the high rate of inflation and the increasing cost of living, which put pressure on consumers. In 2023, however, sales are witnessing healthy…

In September 2022, supervised milk prices saw a strong increase in Israel. Moreover, in May 2023, the price of milk was set to rise by 16%, but, days before the intended implementation of the increase, the Minister of Finance and Minister of…

In 2022, supply chain problems were seen, as global disruptions drove up the costs of raw materials, logistics and fuel. Overall, the United Arab Emirates and the region overall were affected in terms of rising costs and inflation. Cost-push…

The dairy products market has maintained healthy growth in Saudi Arabia in current value terms, mainly due to the high rate of inflation, and it is expected that the market will register a better performance in volume terms in 2023 as prices will see…

Increases in the prices of supervised and non-supervised dairy products in 2022 and 2023 have had a strong impact on categories. Higher prices have constrained retail volume growth potential amid high inflation and the rising cost of living in…

The changes in consumer behaviour brought about by the inflationary pressures that started in early 2022 resulted in a decline in retail volume sales of cheese in 2022, while current value sales remained positive. In 2023, although a return to retail…

The cheese market witnessed a decline in volume sales in 2022, largely as a result of the impact of the high rate of inflation, which led to significant increases in the price of cheese products. Companies revised their pricing constantly during the…

The government has removed customs taxes for certain imported cheeses, such as soft cheeses with a fat percentage over 5%. Previously, these cheeses were taxed at ILS8.04-13.21 per kg. The customs tax is mainly set to be removed in two stages. Half…

Due to inflationary pressures arising from global supply chain issues, recent price increases in retail have impacted dairy categories, and butter and spreads is no exception. Moreover, due to rising health awareness, some consumers are also veering…

The butter market was significantly impacted by the war following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The conflict led to a significant increase in prices due to the shortage of supplies and labour, and logistics challenges. All these factors…

Butter in Israel had a very high customs tax of 126-140%. This made importing butter unviable for players in the category, except for specific importers allowed to import small amount without the customs tax attached. In 2019, the country started to…

Inflationary pressures have been impacting baby food, a category that was already suffering from limited growth even prior to the pandemic. Although most families have now returned to the country, the socioeconomic revival in 2022 was met with rising…

Baby formula saw volume sales fall in 2022 and the category has continued to struggle in 2023, mainly due to the ongoing change in Saudi culture. Years ago, Saudis used to have many children, with an average family having around five or six children.…

All of the players in baby food have increased prices during 2023, despite the price-sensitivity of consumers. Companies have increased prices due to high inflation, rising costs of shipping and raw materials. In addition, the decreasing value of the…

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.…

Interest in plant-based eating and alternative proteins in the Middle East and Africa had been steadily rising pre-pandemic and was further accelerated by consumers looking at healthier options. The Middle East and Africa has the lowest per capita…

Food security has always been on the agenda of governments as a long-term goal, but recent challenges have escalated its priority even in countries that have been historically regarded as food secure. Private and government sectors have joined forces…