Middle East

Tobacco in Saudia Arabia saw marginal volume growth overall in 2023. Cigarettes remained the largest category in tobacco despite the growing trend towards heated tobacco. Health and wellness trends as well as high taxation and increasing prices…

Falling demand for cigarettes in 2023 meant a forgettable year for tobacco in Qatar. Government efforts to curb tobacco use and the spreading preference among young adults for e-vapour products, the sale of which remains banned, have put huge…

Tobacco in Oman in 2023 is expected to grow gradually due to a slight population increase and moderate inflation at 1%. The Consumer Price Index for tobacco was also higher than in the past five years in July 2023. Growth is projected to accelerate…

2023 saw demand for tobacco continue to rise, despite the impact of Lebanon’s ongoing socioeconomic crisis. Cigarettes are seen as an affordable luxury, with the low prices charged for local brand Cedars a crucial factor in the category’s enduring…

In 2023, Kuwait witnessed a continued tradition of males smoking in public, particularly in cafés. Although volume sales of cigarettes declined, the overall value growth remained positive due to higher product prices. Kuwaiti consumers showed a…

In 2023, tobacco in Jordan has seen growth in current value sales, largely due to consumers shifting from cigarettes to more expensive alternatives. Although cigarette volumes experienced a slight decline as consumers moved towards reduced-risk…

The tobacco market saw growth in Israel in 2023. The Israel-Hamas War caused a lot of stress, fear and uncertainty amongst locals, with many existing smokers smoking more frequently, and some former smokers returning to the habit. The outbreak of the…

Surging demand for e-vapour products was the main trend in tobacco in Iraq during 2023, as demand for cigarettes and smoking tobacco falls. Notably, new consumers, including women and young adults, tend to find vaping preferable to smoking.…

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…

Tissue and hygiene in Saudi Arabia continued to see overall retail volume and current value growth in 2023. Rising awareness of the importance of hygiene and cleanliness supported demand. This performance was also supported by population growth,…

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…

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…

Although sales slipped into decline in some markets (eg Algeria, Nigeria), the Middle East and Africa tissue and hygiene market continued to record positive growth in real value terms at a regional level in 2023. Inflation remained a problem in this…

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…

In 2023, tissue and hygiene is witnessing a shift towards higher quality products over cheaper alternatives, benefiting various categories. Growing awareness of reproductive health and baby care is driving demand for sanitary care and…

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…

Overall, the tissue and hygiene market in Israel navigated security and political uncertainties in 2023, which affected both consumers’ spending and away-from-home tissue related to consumer foodservice and travel. At the same time, the market…

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…

The COVID-19 pandemic, technological disruption, globalisation reset and changing employee preferences have reshaped the way we work and learn. Businesses need to adopt new working models and become more flexible, people-centric and digitally-enabled…