Iraq

Corruption and a weak rule of law are impediments to democracy in Iraq, which also suffers from frequent bouts of political instability. Higher oil prices and production is fuelling economic recovery, whilst inflation remains contained, but reliance…

2022 was a challenging year for Iraq’s tissue and hygiene market as high inflation and rising prices put pressure on demand, despite population growth and urbanisation. The essential nature of many of these products mean that consumers are more…

Sales of home care continued to flourish in 2021 due to the ongoing threat from COVID-19. However, the higher cost of importing and logistics pushed brands to raise their prices putting a cap on demand for home care. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a…

Currency depreciation during 2022 lead to price hikes that shocked the market, interrupting the flow of imports and harming the operations of local manufacturers. Consumers now have more limited choices as purchasing power is falling. However, demand…

Alcoholic drinks in Iraq faces major challenges, not least the presence of a huge and largely unchecked black market in counterfeit brands. Rampant corruption and lack of political will continue to support this trade in illicit products, with the…

Tobacco continued to register positive volume growth in 2020 and 2021 as rising prices pushed many consumers towards cheaper cigarette brands. In smoking tobacco, local production is rising as players seek to avoid high import taxes. In cigarettes,…

Local soft drinks production rose in 2022 due to favourable government regulation and rising demand as the devaluation of the dinar made imports prohibitively expensive. However, this was not enough to fill all the gaps left by the absence of some…

Strong growth was seen in consumer health in 2022 despite various challenges such as flagging consumer confidence in the for-profit health system, disorganised distribution that results in suboptimal levels of development in many categories and…

? During 2022, Iraq’s staple foods market was shaped mainly by rising prices and volatility in the supply of key categories. The Ukraine conflict caused concern among some consumers, although a certain level of stability is being seen in the market…

The biggest influences on sales of hot drink in 2022 were high inflation and the devaluation of the dinar. While consumption in the most popular category of tea was not hugely affected as tea is still affordable for most, steep unit price rises…

Iraq’s retailing industry faced stiff challenges in 2020 and 2021 as the COVID-19 pandemic discouraged consumers from shopping in crowded stores. With incomes under pressure, many were also reluctant to spend money unless strictly necessary and this…

Beauty and personal care faces major challenges, not least the prevalence of counterfeit brands, resulting in very low levels of consumer trust. There is no coordinated nationwide distribution and most sales are generated by small players that focus…

Food price inflation cast a pall over cooking ingredients and meals in 2022 as the devaluation of the Iraqi currency and the global supply chain crunch due to the Ukraine conflict led to prices soaring across the industry. Iraq remains dependent on…

Steep unit price growth and socio economic instability influenced sales of dairy products and alternatives in 2022. As foodservice sales rebounded from the COVID-19 pandemic, retail sales rose due to population growth and spreading affluence.…

The commodities country overview provides comprehensive data on production, consumption and price trends in key commodities markets. The commodities overview in Iraq covers production and consumption trends in agricultural commodities, energy…

The number of households is set to increase rapidly in Iraq over 2021-2040, with couples with children remaining the dominant household type. While household earnings will not recover from the COVID-19 impact by 2040, the fastest household…

Insight into income, wealth and expenditure of consumers and households is vital in helping businesses make strategic decisions with regard to which country (or even which region within a country) to enter, which consumer segment to target, which…

Economies that offer an efficient, fast and inexpensive path to starting a business enjoy great dynamism and high FDI intake. A country with a competitive business environment is offering sound transport and ICT infrastructure; an effective juridical…

The report provides information on the economic landscape, major monetary indicators, foreign trade, investments and government finance in Iraq. In 2021, the country’s economy expanded in real terms, driven by increasing domestic consumption, public…

The landscape in which businesses operate has an impact on the supply chain and regulatory matters while offering scope for innovation and new ways of doing business. Insights on key sectors directly related to the environmental sustainability of a…