Middle East

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…

Positive growth was seen in retail in 2022 as shopping in malls remained a popular pastime among Kuwaitis. However, e-commerce boomed during the year as investment in tech start-ups brought more convenience to consumers. Kuwait’s population is young,…

Qatar’s affluent population makes the country an attractive prospect for international retailers, especially given the popularity of shopping as a leisure activity and the preference for global brands. However, the country’s low population and the…

The economy in Saudi Arabia recorded one of the fastest growth rates globally in 2022, driven by elevated oil demand and peaking oil prices, allowing it to boost production and exports. Vast crude oil reserves and relatively small dependence on wheat…

Tea has continued to record positive growth rates in volume terms in recent years, but has also seen declining sales in real value terms in Middle East and Africa. With consumers struggling in a difficult economic climate, many have been trading down…