Middle East

Heineken NV (GBO), which is represented by Tempo Beer Industries Ltd in Israel, was one of the players forced to increase its prices in 2022, starting in Q1 and with the announcement of further price hikes later in the year. The reason for this was…

In 2022, there was a huge rise in demand, which the FIFA World Cup generated in the country. With over three million football fans visiting in November and December, all alcoholic drinks benefited from a sudden surge in consumption. Qatar is a…

Sales rose across alcoholic drinks in 2022 as demand rebounded during the post-pandemic era. However, the economic crisis continues to suppress demand and local players, especially wineries, are looking to export markets to generate revenues in…

Alcoholic drinks in Israel in 2022 is characterised by large price increases. While prices in the local territory rise due to the increasing costs of living and inflation, locals are also increasingly interested in premium products, which causes…

Iraq’s alcoholic drinks industry remains underdeveloped and in a rather chaotic state due to a complex matrix of supply-side challenges including rampant smuggling, widespread corruption, infrastructure issues and the routine counterfeiting of…

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.…

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…

The product area has seen two recent price increases: by 2 shekels in June 2021, and by a further 2 shekels in January 2023. In 2021 the category saw positive growth as a result of lockdown and lower sales of duty-free stores. Post-COVID-19, it has…

The tobacco industry in Israel has seen consistent price increases over the review period. In 2022, the price of a cigarette package increased by NIS1, and there was an additional NIS1 increase in January 2023.

RTDs maintained total volume growth in 2022, with sales recovering to the pre-pandemic level in this year. Sales are projected to increase further as life in Hong Kong gradually returns to normal. On-trade volume sales increased in 2022, with outlets…

The global economic situation in 2022 saw many investors flock to the United Arab Emirates, so that they could protect their businesses from volatile markets and rising inflation. Dubai’s investors now have better access to fine wine trading. For…

Retail demand for sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruit snacks recovered to pre-pandemic levels in the first half of 2023 in the United Arab Emirates. On the other hand, current value sales fully recovered the previous year, driven by rising unit…

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…

A greater focus on sustainability in the United Arab Emirates has reached alcoholic drinks. Consumer demand for sustainable spirits in particular, has been met by a new launch of award-winning and sustainable tequila brand Mijenta. Mijenta’s…

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.…

Vegetable chips continue to gain in popularity in the United Arab Emirates as an alternative to traditional potato chips, as they are made from ingredients such as kale, sweet potatoes, or beets. Vegetable chips also tend to be baked or dehydrated…

Spirit-based RTDs continued to drive category sales in the United Arab Emirates at the end of the review period. These mainly consist of rum-based drinks with 4% ABV mixed with fruit flavours, such as strawberry, orange, pineapple, grapefruit,…

Demand for ice cream declined significantly during the pandemic due to the lack of impulse purchases and on-the-go consumption occasions. Ice cream is often consumed immediately after being purchased in the United Arab Emirates; however, due to…

Gum in the United Arab Emirates is mainly consumed on-the-go and out of the home, which resulted in a significant drop in sales in 2020 through to early 2022 due to lockdowns, social distancing measures and limited mobility. Nevertheless, as…

As cider is historically an alternative to beer in the United Arab Emirates, the FIFA World Cup held in Qatar boosted demand for this alcoholic drink in addition to beer sales in late 2022, despite inflation hitting the local market. Since Budweiser…