Saudi Arabia

Womenswear registered growth in 2021 having seen a sharp decline in sales in the previous year. In 2020, lockdown, home seclusion and few opportunities to socialise resulted in a steep fall in category sales. Womenswear sales were also impacted by…

Hosiery returned to growth in 2021, having witnessed a particularly marked fall in sales in the previous year. During 2020, hosiery was hit hard by the onset of the global pandemic and measures imposed to limit the spread of COVID-19. Consumers had…

Among modern grocery retailers, supermarkets were the big winners from the pandemic, with their retail constant value sales (2021 prices) rising at a double digit rate during 2020. While they continued to expand during 2021, it was at a much lower…

Tea is an inexpensive hot drink that is traditionally enjoyed throughout the day by consumers of all ages and income levels in Saudi Arabia, including both Saudi nationals and the expat workforce. Having recorded a decline in total volume sales in…

Prior to the pandemic, sportswear was gaining popularity amongst younger Saudi Arabian consumers, who find such clothing comfortable and fashionable. This trend towards comfort has been reinforced by home seclusion and the shift towards remote…

Bleach experienced a dramatic surge in consumer interest in 2020, with retail volume sales in particular growing at an incredible rate. This was due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia and the growing hygiene awareness in the kingdom as…

Footwear saw a return to growth in 2021 following a steep decline in sales in the previous year. Consumption of footwear during the initial stages of the pandemic in Saudi Arabia was impacted by the curfew, working from home and delayed and/or…

Despite the 50% sugar tax imposed on sugar sweetened beverages at the end of 2019, as well as the increase in VAT during 2020, the average unit price of concentrates is decreasing in 2021. Nevertheless, concentrates see a decline in both off-trade…

Menswear saw a return to growth in 2021, having experienced a steep decline in the previous year, though the category did not reach the level of sales seen prior to the outbreak of COVID-19. Even before the pandemic in 2020, Saudi Arabian consumers…

Demand for childrenswear was bolstered in 2021 by the return of students of 12-years-old and above to in-person learning. However, while students aged 12 years and above were allowed back into school after receiving two shots of vaccine, the return…

Having fallen by almost a quarter in 2020, homeshopping retail constant value sales (2021 prices) were little better than flat during 2021. In spite of the fact that local consumers were spending more time at home during 2020, they were increasingly…

Major nectar manufacturers such as Almarai Co Ltd, National Agricultural Development Co and Al Rabie AlSaudia Dairy Co Ltd continue launching reduced and no sugar options in 2021, as demand grows for healthier products and in order to avoid the 50%…

Having performed strongly in 2020, the retail constant value sales (2021 prices) of hypermarkets declined for the first time in three years during 2021. The panic-buying that occurred during 2020 was not repeated in 2021. Moreover, local consumers…

Modelled on Aldi, Al Dukan remains the only discounter in Saudi Arabia, with 100 outlets. It closed a significant number of non-performing outlets during the review period prior to the pandemic but remains a significant presence. It offers a limited…

Hand dishwashing dominates sales of dishwashing products in Saudi Arabia, with only 10% of households owning a dishwasher in the kingdom. Manufacturers offer a wealth of options in terms of fragrances and also value-added variants with dermatological…

Popular amongst both expatriate and native consumers, jeans are a staple in the wardrobes of young and middle-aged consumers in Saudi Arabia. Whilst elderly people prefer more traditional clothing, the growing young population prefers more relaxed…

In 2021, current value sales of wipes saw positive growth, albeit at a lower rate than in the previous year when value sales rose at an exceptionally high rate due mainly to the rise in VAT from 5% to 15% from July 2020. The main reason for the…

Vending constant value sales (2021 prices) plunged by a third in 2020 and recovered no more than partially during 2021, with a significant divergence in performance between packaged drinks vending (which dominates retail value sales in this category)…

Having exhibited a double-digit decline in retail constant value sales (2021 prices) during 2020, retailing recovered only marginally in 2021. Non-grocery specialists were particularly hard hit by the pandemic during 2020, with their retail constant…

Sales of polishes declined in retail volume terms in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumers’ lives. This included many consumers switching to working from home and extended periods of home seclusion due to the kingdom’s COVID-19…