Middle East

Despite the huge success of e-vapour products and heated tobacco products, cigarettes in the United Arab Emirates continued to record healthy growth in 2023. The smoking tradition is very strong in Arabic culture, and both locals and expatriates…

Consumption and sales of cigarettes in Saudia Arabia in 2023 remained severely impacted by the growing consumer shift from cigarettes to e-vapour products and heated tobacco. The number of consumers quitting smoking cigarettes has been increasing,…

Cigarettes saw a significant increase in volume sales in Israel in 2023. The outbreak of the Israel-Hamas War in October 2023 led to an increase in smoking, with more than one survey seeing a notable increase in the frequency of smoking amongst…

After a year of strong growth in 2021, cigarette sales recorded a slight unit volume decline in Middle East and Africa in 2022. With disposable incomes under pressure in a lot of countries, illicit trade remains a problem in many of them. E-vaping…

Among other alcoholic drinks categories, the price of cider/perry in the United Arab Emirates tends to be discounted in off-trade channels during December and January due to the festive season in Dubai. These are the months when many expatriates…

Cider/perry saw volume sales fall in Israel in 2023. As the cocktail trend grew in the local market, the RTD trend grew as well. Local consumers who want to have a lighter drink typically opt for RTDs as the market is growing and becoming more…

Demand for chocolate confectionery in the United Arab Emirates continues to rise. In the local market, a rising number of health-conscious consumers are driving increasing demand for healthy snacks, significantly transforming perceptions around diet…

Following a three-year period of stagnation, the retail market for chocolate confectionery in Saudi Arabia is expected to see an improved performance in current value terms in 2024. This is consistent with a more positive economic outlook, thanks to…

Chocolate confectionery is set to see current value growth in Israel in 2024. The price of cocoa and sugar have increased in recent months, driving up value sales in the chocolate confectionery market. In May 2023, Diplomat increased the prices of…

In the past, luxury brands often imported their marketing strategies directly from their European headquarters to the United Arab Emirates. However, the pandemic underscored the significance of localising marketing efforts, as the consumer base…

Childrenswear sees overall support from the baseline fact that children need an ongoing supply of clothing as they grow out of their clothes within relatively short periods of time. As such, childrenswear has shorter lifecycles than apparel for women…

Childrenswear has faced various headwinds. The several increases in interest rates and high inflation, which averaged at around 4.3% in 2022 and 2023, compounded by the political turmoil revolving around the government’s contentious judicial reforms,…

The changes in consumer behaviour brought about by the inflationary pressures that started in early 2022 resulted in a decline in retail volume sales of cheese in 2022, while current value sales remained positive. In 2023, although a return to retail…

The cheese market witnessed a decline in volume sales in 2022, largely as a result of the impact of the high rate of inflation, which led to significant increases in the price of cheese products. Companies revised their pricing constantly during the…

The government has removed customs taxes for certain imported cheeses, such as soft cheeses with a fat percentage over 5%. Previously, these cheeses were taxed at ILS8.04-13.21 per kg. The customs tax is mainly set to be removed in two stages. Half…

Aligned with historical patterns, there is expected to be an ongoing decrease in the number of charge cards in circulation in the United Arab Emirates in 2023, even though transaction value is set to show growth across both the commercial and…

Charge cards follow a typical pattern in Saudi Arabia, where such cards have a set consumer base consisting of, mainly, affluent Saudi citizens who use these cards while travelling. Therefore, the rebound of travel and tourism following the pandemic…

The increasing prevalence of charge cards issued by non-bank entities in 2023 is significantly impacting the usage of charge cards. The convenience and security offered by digital wallets pose a threat to credit card usage. The rapid growth of…