Middle East

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…

In 2023, cafés/bars in the United Arab Emirates gained further growth momentum following a full recovery to pre-pandemic value sales levels the previous year, benefiting both chained and independent operators. Specialist tea and coffee shops was one…

Cafés/bars was one of the categories in the consumer foodservice industry to be hit hardest by the COVID-19 crisis. The pandemic led to the closure of many outlets, especially cafés located in shopping centres, as those were extremely severely…

Demand for home care generally remains under pressure due to the falling population of Lebanon, the result of the high rate of emigration, and the reluctance of cash-strapped consumers to spend money on products that are seen as non-essential. Within…

The average unit price of toilet care in Israel continued to increase in 2023. Players blamed the price increases on the rising cost of raw materials, gas and electricity. In the context of the broader increase in the cost of living, this has led to…

Like many home care categories in Israel, surface care witnessed another year of price increases by leading players such as Kimberly-Clark Israel Ltd, due to supply issues and the rising cost of materials and production, in addition to import taxes.…

Demand for polishes was already declining prior to the pandemic in Israel, driven by changing lifestyles and a priority in terms of purchasing products considered more essential. In 2023, local consumers continued to lead busy lifestyles, especially…

Laundry care witnessed a second consecutive year of strong price rises in 2023, which notably dampened the purchase rate of these products by local consumers. On 1 November 2022, multinational player Unilever raised the prices of its products,…

Demand for home insecticides in Israel continued to decline in 2023, in line with its review period performance as a whole. This was mainly driven by the dominant format of spray/aerosol home insecticides, despite its affordability, as these products…

Qatar saw continued retail volume growth in home care sales in 2023. Growth was fuelled by an increase in the number of households and an enhanced focus on the need for hygiene in the home, thanks to the continuation of a trend that developed as a…