Middle East

Edible oil prices continue to rise as a result of both local and domestic pressures and high inflation, which drives up the cost of amenities essential for manufacturing, such as water and electricity. Recent droughts and poor sunflower seed harvests…

Debit cards continue to make up a large portion of all financial cards in Saudi Arabia. Indeed, debit cards are even more prevalent than credit cards in the KSA, owing to a number of factors, such as wide acceptance and convenience of use, as well as…

Credit cards are not as popular as debit cards in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, however, the category still shows a fair performance. One main issue which credit cards face in the KSA is a question mark around their compliance with Sharia Law.…

In 2023, Qatar anticipates a surge in cooking ingredient sales following the positive impact of post-World FIFA Cup tourism and ongoing efforts to attract investments. The country's luxury-driven society is set to further boost consumption. Urban…

In 2023, Oman's cooking ingredients industry has shifted due to higher prices from global inflation. Consumers are now leaning towards healthier choices, affecting demand for traditional cooking ingredients. Freshness remains a priority, leading to…

Demand for cooking ingredients and meals remained under huge pressure in 2023 as the impact of Lebanon’s severe socioeconomic crisis continued to undermine the spending power of much of the local population. However, the situation is improving slowly…

In 2023, Kuwait is facing economic challenges due to both global inflation and the restrictions on expat entries, causing a slowdown in demand for cooking ingredients. Inflation, notably soaring cooking oil prices, directly affected both…

In 2023, cooking ingredients and meals will no longer be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the on-trade industry is booming once again. Despite high inflation in 2022, prices, particularly edible oils, have dropped, however, the industry…

The cost of living continues to rise in Israel, and economic uncertainty is leading to wariness about investing in the domestic economy. Inflation reached the highest levels since 2008 in January 2023. Electricity prices rose by 9% in August 2022,…

Charge cards follow a typical pattern in Saudi Arabia, where such cards have a set consumer base consisting of, mainly, affluent Saudi citizens who use these cards while travelling. Therefore, the rebound of travel and tourism following the pandemic…