Weight Management and Wellbeing in Saudi Arabia

PROSPECTS

The increased importance of personal appearance drives growth in weight management and wellbeing

Saudi Arabia has the highest number of active Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter users in the region in 2018. Social media platforms play an important role in spreading the latest trends and updates in travel, fashion, beauty, fitness, food, games and news – and in encouraging many overweight and obese people to lose weight.

Meal replacement records the highest growth

Although meal replacement is still a small category, it is emerging quickly and a growing number of entrants is appearing. Busy lifestyles are encouraging many consumers to buy these easy-to-make or ready-made healthy meals.

5% VAT tax is applied on most weight management and wellbeing products

Most weight management and wellbeing items experienced a 5% price increase in 2018 due to the addition of VAT. Moreover, promotional campaigns for weight management and wellbeing products in local chemists/pharmacies and drugstores/parapharmacies have been minimal in 2018 when compared with 2017.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Cambridge Weight Plan Ltd leads weight management and wellbeing

Cambridge Weight Plan Ltd has been present in Saudi Arabia for more than six years, providing a wide variety of meal replacement products to its clients. Its meal replacement range in the country includes pasta, soup, porridge, bars and milkshakes.

The outlook is bright

In the forecast period, it is expected that companies in the category will continue developing new products and that more players will enter, providing more brands, products, types and formats to cater to consumers’ increased demand for weight management and wellbeing. Increased availability in different distribution channels as well as promotional campaigns are predicted to further support sales.

Chemists/pharmacies is the largest distribution channel

Chemists/pharmacies, with its increasing number of outlets, extensive product variety, ongoing promotional campaigns, insurance-covered medication, loyalty programmes and online ordering facility, continues to be the main distribution channel for this category. Moreover, weight management and wellbeing items are sold as OTC goods in chemists/pharmacies.

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