Middle East

In 2024, travellers from China have fully resumed their activities due to the easing of restrictions in the country, including a return to the United Arab Emirates. This is helping to boost demand for luxury sunglasses in the United Arab Emirates, as…

Supermarkets in Israel saw greater value growth in 2023 compared to the previous year, which is partly attributed to shifts in the competitive landscape through the arrival of new players. For example, as discussed in discounters, we are seeing the…

Consumers are becoming more health-conscious and are seeking healthier food options. Supermarkets in Saudi Arabia are looking to respond to this by offering a wider range of organic, natural, and locally sourced products. They are also providing more…

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…

Increased economic uncertainty, digitisation of business activities, the need to improve operational efficiency, and stricter regulations encourage companies to review their supply networks and fortify them against the potential risks in the future.…

This briefing provides insight into the Sustainable Manufacturing trend, exploring the manufacturing sectors with the greatest environmental impact, solutions to improve the sustainability of the manufacturing sector, and potential hurdles that…

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.…

Despite a decline in value sales due to falling unit price driven by price promotions, demand for surface care remains elevated in relation to pre-pandemic levels, and continued to rise in 2023. Products in surface care claiming to kill 99.99%…

Amidst changing consumer preferences for home care in the United Arab Emirates, including surface care, there is a clear shift driven by the quest for better value for money. As households contend with rising living expenses, a noticeable trend is…

Recycling and reducing plastic and water use are well-established in Saudi Arabia, with over two-thirds of consumers aiming to impact the planet positively, shaping their sustainable purchasing decisions. As such, implementing the recycled claims and…

The MEA region remains divided in terms of sustainability, as Africa continues to lack the financial means to reach Middle Eastern levels in terms of electrification, as well as food and water availability. While Africa benefits from the lowest…

The majority of consumers aim to positively impact the planet, with over a third identifying as Zero Wasters, creating opportunities as almost half are willing to pay more for sustainable goods. Industries should invest in recycling claims and…

Sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruit snacks is set to see current value growth in 2024. The global price of sugar rose significantly in 2023, pushing up a key raw material cost for manufacturers of sweet biscuits. In May 2023, Diplomat increased the…

Sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruits snacks represents one of the best-performing categories within snacks in Saudi Arabia, and this trend is expected to continue into 2024. Stronger demand is being driven by the resumption of normal, fast-paced…

Sales of sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruit snacks in the United Arab Emirates are increasingly shaped by rising consumer awareness of health and wellness, leading to strong performances by fruit snacks, primarily dried fruit, and snack bars.…

In 2023, price increases across the sweet spreads will have a dampening effect on retail volume sales. Moreover, as the health and wellness trend in Israel continues apace, many local consumers are less inclined to indulge in sweet spreads, which are…

The market for sweet spreads continued to see positive growth in volume terms in 2023, albeit at a slower pace than the previous year. This was mainly due to the stabilisation of sales via the foodservice channel, following a boom in the aftermath of…

Consumers in the United Arab Emirates are increasingly seeking healthier options of sweet spreads, including those with reduced sugar content and fewer additives. In addition, nut and seed based spreads are gaining popularity in the local market,…

After a couple of years of decline, total sweet spreads packaging in Saudi Arabia returned to growth in 2023. Most categories saw a rise in packaging volumes, with the exception of honey. Nevertheless, within this category, PET bottles saw growth in…

Thin wall plastic containers are the main pack type used in sweet spreads packaging and were also continuing to gain share in the overall category in 2022. This is because these containers are cost-effective to manufacture, making them an attractive…