Middle East

Retail in Israel in 2023 was affected by the political and economic panorama in the country, as the war continues. Inflation remained high and mortgages became much more expensive, with significant hikes in monthly repayments for homeowners. Added to…

Retail e-commerce in Israel continued to be supported by the constant evolution of retailers’ online platforms in 2023. Indeed, retailers and consumers alike were forced to embrace e-commerce during the era of the pandemic lockdowns and restrictions,…

Sales of home products in Israel in 2023 were being supported by the surge in demand for housing. Indeed, according to local news reports, the last quarter of 2023 saw home prices rise, which demonstrates a surge in demand for housing. In turn, this…

Health and beauty specialists is a retail channel seeing a stable performance in Israel in 2023, mostly controlled by large players who import international brands. Indeed, Super-Pharm (Super-Pharm (Israel) Ltd) holds just over half of all brand…

General merchandise stores struggled in Israel in 2023, due to decreased footfall in the areas where these stores are located. This is due to the ongoing geopolitical unrest in the country, with many consumers re-embracing e-commerce platforms as…

There was a notable rise of private label brands among discounters in Israel in 2023, with brands such as second-placed Rami Levy (Rami Levy Shivuk Hashikma Ltd) prominently featuring a diverse range of products under its private label. Indeed, such…

Direct selling in Israel in 2023 was reported to have somewhat benefitted from consumers spending more time at home due to the geopolitical situation in the country. As such, products which can be delivered to consumers’ homes are attracting…

Big grocery retailers continued to expand their reach by opening convenience stores in Israel in 2023, targeting urban customers in a highly competitive environment to enhance accessibility and cater to the evolving needs of city-dwellers. This move…

Appliances and electronics specialists in Israel continued on a pattern of normalisation in 2023, aligning with the global trends of correction after the surge in sales seen during the pandemic lockdowns, as consumers focused on creating the optimal…

Apparel and footwear specialists in Israel are those notably affected by macroeconomic factors in 2023, with a notable rise in import costs and concurrent increases in essential family expenditures such as housing, food, and gas. Additionally,…

The report observes the changing dynamics of loyalty in mobility, focusing specifically on the automotive, shared mobility and car rental industries. It identifies and examines the key themes shaping modern loyalty and how brands should adjust their…

In 2023, tissue and hygiene in Oman is increasing, fuelled by increasing disposable incomes, urbanisation rates, and a growing awareness of cleanliness. In terms of the competitive landscape, the industry rewards those embracing e-commerce, premium…

Wipes in the United Arab Emirates continued to enjoy significant popularity in 2023, including all purpose cleaning wipes and personal wipes, with the latter dominated by baby wipes. Their widespread use is attributed to the convenience they offer…

In 2023, tissue and hygiene in the United Arab Emirates faced inflationary challenges due to the soaring cost of essential raw materials, such as pulp and energy. Players responded by adjusting prices or reducing pack sizes, prompting consumers to…

In 2023, tissue and hygiene in Jordan has experienced modest growth, primarily attributed to increased sales of tissues, menstrual care, and AFH tissues. This growth was counterbalanced by declines in categories like wipes and diapers, reflective of…

The situation improved for players in tissue and hygiene in Iraq in 2023 as the revaluation of the Iraqi dinar gave relief from exchange rate anomalies, skyrocketing prices, infrastructure issues and razor-thin margins. Iraqi consumers meanwhile…

In 2023, the prevailing trend was sustained high inflation, ensuring that value growth of retail tissue in the United Arab Emirates remained higher than volume growth, although demand also continued to rise, particularly for paper towels, toilet…

2023 witnessed an uptick in volume and value sales of retail adult incontinence in the United Arab Emirates, with sales of both light and moderate/heavy formats performing well. This growth was primarily fuelled by increasing awareness of…

In 2023, one noteworthy trend observed within nappies/diapers/pants in the United Arab Emirates was the substantial growth of private label and smaller players under “others”, albeit from a low base. This surge directly contributed to major brands…

The shift towards online purchases is notably boosting the sales of menstrual care in the United Arab Emirates, as consumers increasingly opt for the convenience of doorstep deliveries for their menstrual needs. While greater penetration of…

The rising trend of more frequent dining out experiences, following the easing of pandemic restrictions, continued to propel demand for foodservice in 2023, subsequently driving sales of away-from-home tissue in the United Arab Emirates. With a surge…

Tissue and hygiene in Qatar registered positive growth in 2023 as population growth and the affluence of the local population underpinned rising demand and the ongoing shift towards more sophisticated value-added products. While the low birth rate…

Demand remained under huge pressure across tissue and hygiene in 2023 as negative population growth fuelled by high emigration and low consumer spending due to the ongoing socioeconomic crisis underpinned a generally negative volume sales…

The report observes the changing dynamics of loyalty in mobility, focusing specifically on the automotive, shared mobility and car rental industries. It identifies and examines the key themes shaping modern loyalty and how brands should adjust their…

Unattended payment solutions are helping to reshape vending in the United Arab Emirates by providing customers with a convenient and secure way to pay for goods or services. Companies such as ADCB Islamic Banking and Verifone offer unattended payment…

Numerous supermarket chains in the United Arab Emirates continued their expansion efforts in 2023, with notable contributions from LuLu Supermarket, Grandiose Supermarket, and Spar. LuLu Supermarket aims to strategically expand into smaller store…

While large supermarkets and hypermarkets continued to dominate grocery retailers in value terms in 2023, small local grocers in the United Arab Emirates experienced a resurgence towards the end of the review period. Operators of small local grocers…

In 2023, retail sales in the United Arab Emirates continued to grow at a reasonably positive level, although growth rates were marginally slower compared to the previous year. This slowdown was indicative of stability in retail’s performance after a…

The e-commerce landscape in the United Arab Emirates presents a competitive environment, yet it remains receptive to novel entrants equipped with innovative concepts or specialised propositions. Notably, the shift in consumer behaviour towards an…

Given the high dependence on imports, along with the impact of the pandemic and disruption to supply chains, most grocery retailers in the United Arab Emirates, especially hypermarkets, are looking to support local produce, including fruits and…

Rising disposable incomes in the United Arab Emirates are empowering consumers to opt for higher-quality, longer-lasting home products. Concerns surrounding inflation and economic uncertainty are encouraging consumers to choose more durable goods…

Beauty specialists in the United Arab Emirates, exemplified by the likes of Sephora, continued to place a strong emphasis on fostering a sense of community and rewards in 2023. Loyalty initiatives, such as the Sephora Beauty Pass, help unite a…

Variety stores in the United Arab Emirates continued to experience significant growth in 2023, outperforming department stores, the other main channel in general merchandise stores. This was not only due to the affordable prices offered by these…

Viva discounters have become popular in the United Arab Emirates due to their affordability, quality products, exclusive offerings, and convenient locations, catering for a wide range of consumers looking for budget-friendly shopping options. Viva's…

Market saturation in the United Arab Emirates, featuring prominent brands across diverse retail channels, poses a hurdle in persuading consumers to choose direct selling. To navigate this competitive landscape, direct selling players must distinguish…

Despite the considerable growth of hypermarkets and supermarkets, and the increasing use of online ordering for groceries, the active and social lifestyles of consumers in the United Arab Emirates continue to support sustainable demand for…

Consumers in the United Arab Emirates are increasingly seeking appliances and electronics with smart features and connectivity, driving growth of products such as smart TVs, AI-powered washing machines, and connected refrigerators. Local consumers…

In 2023, value sales of apparel and footwear specialists in the United Arab Emirates continued to recover from the significant impact of the pandemic, when the channel recorded a double-digit decline in 2020. A return to in-store shopping (despite…

Street stalls/kiosks in the United Arab Emirates, severely impacted by the pandemic and related restrictions in 2020, continued to recover across all indicators in 2023. As the United Arab Emirates eased all COVID-19 restrictions in September 2022,…

The COVID-19 crisis had a very strong negative impact on the performance of street stalls/kiosks in Saudi Arabia. Both chained and independent street stalls/kiosks recorded big declines in foodservice value sales and the number of transactions as…

Self-service cafeterias in the United Arab Emirates witnessed growth across value sales, transactions and outlet numbers in 2023. The population of the United Arab Emirates increased over the review period supported by a significant rate of natural…

The self-service cafeterias category is expected to achieve a full recovery to a pre-pandemic level of value sales in 2023 and is expected to maintain healthy growth over the forecast period due to the growing number of expats entering the kingdom,…

Value sales, outlet numbers and number of transactions via limited-service restaurants in the United Arab Emirates all fell significantly in 2020, seeing double-digit declines due to the impact of COVID-19. However, the channel recorded a strong…

Vision 2030 is making Saudi Arabia one of the most attractive markets for investors worldwide. The goals of Vision 2030 are to increase the appeal of Saudi Arabia, not least in terms of entertainments like consumer foodservice. Prior to the COVID-19…

In 2023, value sales of full-service restaurants in the United Arab Emirates fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, despite a lag in terms of transaction and outlet numbers. However, an increase in unit prices drove higher spend per transaction. In…

In 2019, there was no 15% VAT (value-added tax) implementation, expats’ families were not liable for dependence fees, and inflation and the cost of utilities like electricity, as well as tuition fees, were significantly lower. Therefore, consumers…

In 2023, consumer foodservice in the United Arab Emirates experienced robust growth across all three indicators (outlets, transactions, and value sales), propelled by an array of factors contributing to a favourable business environment. The first…

The Saudi Arabian consumer foodservice market is expected to witness a full recovery to pre-pandemic levels in value terms in 2023. The market has seen growing consumption and the opening of new outlets, involving both new brands entering the market…

Value sales of consumer foodservice through travel in the United Arab Emirates fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels in 2023. This location benefited from the reopening of borders and the resumption of travel and tourism the previous year, with some…

Stand-alone maintained its dominant position in the Saudi Arabian consumer foodservice market in 2023. The strength of stand-alone locations is largely to do with the convenience and easy access they provide to consumers. There is a growing trend…