Middle East

Although the pandemic is now a distant memory, consumers are still motivated to focus on their health and wellness. The demand for drinking yoghurt products that include a “protein” claim, in addition to advantages such as “probiotics”, and “gut…

The yoghurt and sour milk products category has shown healthy growth even within the tough economic situation and the slower growth of consumption as a result of the high rate of inflation. The category’s strong performance has mainly been due to its…

As prices of supervised milk rise, manufacturers of dairy products increase prices for all of their products. Following the September 2022 rise in supervised milk prices, the price of milk was set to rise by 16% in May 2023. However, days before the…

Writing instruments witnessed minimal fluctuations in demand during the pandemic, unlike bags, watches, and jewellery, which are typically more expensive and require more intricate purchasing decisions. Additionally, the heightened use of diaries and…

In 2023, wound care is expected to see its strongest current value growth rate for many years, with product innovation being the strongest driver of growth. Innovations in wound closure techniques, such as adhesive tapes, sutures, or surgical…

Wound care is expected to maintain solid growth in both retail volume and current value terms in 2023. With many aspects of life in Saudi Arabia back to normal after the pandemic disruption, consumers are spending more time outside the home and being…

The wound care category is seeing strong growth for the third consecutive year in Israel, with normal lifestyles driving everyday demand for these products. Sticking plasters/adhesive bandages has seen a strong uptick in sales in 2023 after a…

The United Arab Emirates is home to a highly dynamic retail environment, where a brand’s entry and exit can occur fairly rapidly compared to more mature markets. In 2023, several formerly standalone brands, some of which had previously exited the…

Women’s empowerment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in line with the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030, helps to support growth in womenswear. The government continues to support female empowerment and strive for equality between men and women, through…

After two years of strong growth which have seen womenswear recovering from the declines seen during the pandemic, in 2023, the category’s growth is expected to slow down. The limited growth in womenswear has been driven by the challenging economic…

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…

Wipes in Saudi Arabia continued to be driven by increased hygiene awareness, a rising demand for convenience, improving disposable incomes, travel, the rebound and development of tourism and hospitality as consumers continued to resume pre-COVID-19…

Wipes saw current value growth in Israel in 2023. During the year, the prices of wipes, along with many other products, continued to rise, while discounts became smaller and less frequent. Israeli consumers are usually loyal to brands in the baby…

In line with general alcoholic drinks trends, wine in the United Arab Emirates experienced further momentum of premiumisation in 2023. Wine is considered a more premium category than others by nature, which is why the move towards premiumisation has…

Wine is not available in Saudi Arabia as alcoholic drinks are not permitted in the country under Islamic Law.

Wine saw volume sales increase in Israel in 2023. Hacarem raised the prices of its wine brands in January 2023 for on-trade establishments, with the off-trade channel also expected to see increases. Dalton Winery’s prices will increase by up to 8%,…

Many residents in the United Arab Emirates lead fast-paced lives, in which ready-to-drink shakes and meal replacement bars provide a quick and convenient way for people to manage their weight due to their pre-packaged format; this is set to drive…

One of the most notable consequences of the pandemic was the propensity for Saudi people to put on weight as a consequence of social distancing and home seclusion, which meant that many people were engaged in far lower levels of physical activity…

With the growing popularity of health and wellness trends, many locals are increasingly sceptical about weight management products, and prefer to eat a balanced diet and incorporate physical activity to reach their goals. This focus on healthy eating…

Demand for wearable electronics in the United Arab Emirates continues to grow, driven by a smartwatch boom, potentially sidelining basic fitness trackers. However, inflation is pushing consumers towards "affordable indulgence" as they seek…