Middle East

Thin wall plastic containers are the main pack type used in sweet spreads packaging and were also continuing to gain share in the overall category in 2022. This is because these containers are cost-effective to manufacture, making them an attractive…

After a couple of years of decline, total sweet spreads packaging in Saudi Arabia returned to growth in 2023. Most categories saw a rise in packaging volumes, with the exception of honey. Nevertheless, within this category, PET bottles saw growth in…

Sustainability is becoming a key focus for both manufacturers and consumers in soft drinks in the United Arab Emirates. Recycled bottles and reduced waste are core topics within the industry. Following global trends, players have started to launch…

The introduction of the excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages in Saudi Arabia, which came into force on 1 December 2019, has had a notable influence on beverage companies' packaging strategies, particularly evident in the sizes of packs utilised by…

There was a general trend in the United Arab Emirates of the arrival of COVID-19 and the consequent lockdowns forcing people to stay at home benefitting the consumption of sauces, dressings, and condiments in 2020, followed by an easing of COVID-19…

As the trend to consume healthy food gained ground in 2020, consumers looked for easy-to-cook/-prepare and healthy dishes, which resulted in increasing consumption of salads. As a result, the packaging unit volumes of PET bottles in salad dressings…

Glass jars remained a major pack type in sauces, dips and condiments in 2022 for a number of reasons. Glass is an inert material that does not interact chemically with the product content, ensuring that the flavour and quality of the sauces, dips or…

After a couple of years of decline, total sauces, dips and condiments packaging volumes in Saudi Arabia returned to growth in 2023. This was also the pattern of growth seen by mayonnaise. PET bottles continued to be the dominant pack type for…

Although foodservice outlets were closed or only offering limited services when COVID-19 hit the United Arab Emirates in 2020, local consumers had more time on their hands due to lockdowns or home seclusion, enabling them to prepare meals themselves.…

In 2020, demand for ready-to-cook frozen products in ready meals increased as the country entered a national lockdown period in the first half of the year. At this point, many consumers entered home seclusion to protect themselves and others from the…