Saudi Arabia

Plain yoghurt remains the largest product in yoghurt and sour milk products and is proving to be the strongest performer in 2021 as it shows itself to be resilient in the face of the VAT increase. The product is widely used in traditional savoury…

Imports of labneh, which is mainly manufactured in Turkey, have been hit by a ban on Turkish products entering Saudi Arabia since November 2020. While the Saudi Arabian Government denies the imposition of official restrictions, data from the…

Saudi Arabia is a major market for drinking milk products, with milk seen as an essential product by Saudi Arabian consumers. As a result, retail sales received a significant boost from consumers being forced to prepare meals and drinks at home…

During the COVID-19 crisis, demand for cheese as an ingredient for cooking and eating at home rose strongly as a result of home seclusion, remote working, distance learning and restrictions on the operations of foodservice outlets. This led to a…

Home seclusion, the shift to remote working and distance learning, and the closure of foodservice outlets combined to lead to a marked increase in cooking at home during the COVID-19 crisis. Butter was a notable beneficiary of these conditions, as it…

Baby food sales are set to continue to grow in 2021, though at a slower rate than in the previous year, during which the COVID-19 crisis and the prospect of 15% VAT led to consumer stockpiling. In 2021, demand is being dampened by the fact that…

Saudi Arabia started operating international flights at full capacity at the Kingdom’s land, sea and airports as the travel ban on Saudi citizens ended on 17 May 2021, after 14 months of restriction. Post 17 May, citizens were permitted to travel and…

International Hajj and Umrah pilgrims serve as the most important tourist flows for Saudi Arabia. Hajj, in Saudi Arabia, which usually sees over 2.5 million Muslims travelling to Makkah was curtailed in 2020 for the first time in modern history with…

Thanks to the imposition of ongoing social distancing measures, online travel agencies continue to experience benefits despite recording slower sales compared to pre-pandemic levels. As travel starts to improve in 2021, it is very likely that most…

After one of the toughest years for the hotel industry, Saudi hoteliers used Ramadan as a springboard for recovery in 2021. Hotels looked to attract so-called “staycationers” with extensive discounts and deals during the holy month. Ramadan deals,…

Car rental companies were among the hardest hit by the pandemic in 2020. However, by 2021 the Saudi car rental (destination) category has begun to show signs of recovery. This has been helped by growth in short term car rental from Umrah pilgrims…

Saudi Arabia’s aviation authority has made it mandatory for passengers boarding flights in the Kingdom to have the Tawakkalna app on their mobile phones. In this regard, the General Authority of Civil Aviation has sent directives to all national…

Saudi Arabia ranks strongest regionally in the Environmental Sustainability Index supported by its high score in the Food and Agriculture and Environmental Resilience pillars, while being dragged down by its poor performance in its pollution and…

Wearable electronic devices began life as fitness aids, supporting active consumers in measuring their activities such as walking and running and tracking their progress against their goals. In Saudi Arabia, the majority of consumers exercise in gyms…

Today’s connectivity obsessed consumers use wearable electronics or smartphones instead of portable media players, leading to a slowdown in growth for the category overall and sales of portable media players ceasing altogether in Saudi Arabia.…

Although COVID-19 and an increase in VAT negatively affected sales volumes in the first two quarters, the third and fourth quarters saw a rebound for most brands, triggered by consumers’ need for better accessibility to the internet to accommodate…

Smartphone usage and pre-installed systems continue to hamper the sales of in-car navigation devices in 2021. Car manufacturers are increasingly adapting their in-car communications systems to allow smartphone navigation and music streaming apps to…

Demand for imaging devices continues to suffer from the devastating competition posed by smartphones, which are widespread in Saudi Arabia, and which are increasingly available with technological upgrades. Today’s consumers want lightweight devices…

Home video is set to see a slight recovery in retail volume terms in 2021, as consumers return to physical stores after lockdown.

Despite the increased need for home entertainment during the long periods of home seclusion during the COVID-19 epidemic, home cinema and audio is unlikely to be the first choice for Saudi Arabian consumers in 2021.