Middle East

High demand for wipes, especially those with antibacterial properties, including all purpose cleaning wipes and general purpose wipes, continued to be driven by heightened hygiene awareness and more stringent cleaning habits since the pandemic. Wipes…

Sales of retail tissue, nappies/diapers/pants and sanitary protection continued to growth in both value and volume terms in 2022 due to improving GDP in the United Arab Emirates and population growth/recovery following the impact of the pandemic, as…

While demand for sanitary protection continued to slowly rise in 2022 following a marginal dip in 2020 as a result of home seclusion following the emergence of the pandemic, the category recorded double-digit current value growth in 2022 as a result…

Despite an easing of restrictions and greater mobility outside of the home in the United Arab Emirates, resulting in improving sales of away-from-home tissue in 2022, demand for retail tissue remained elevated due to habit persistence and the fact…

Demand for retail adult incontinence continued to rise in the United Arab Emirates in 2022 as consumers were increasingly exposed to products that could help them live more independently or offer greater confidence when outside of the home,…

Due to job losses, the United Arab Emirates witnessed a major outflow of potential consumers for tissue and hygiene during the peak of the pandemic in 2020. This was particularly the case for the female demographic, resulting in retail volume sales…

The report examines the economic landscape of Oman and provides information on major monetary indicators, foreign trade, investments and government finance. The economy in Oman expanded in real terms in 2022, driven by increasing public and private…

Horeca, mainly comprising consumer foodservice and hotels, remained the key distribution channel for away-from-home tissue in the United Arab Emirates in 2022, with value sales through horeca fully recovering to pre-pandemic levels. While volume…

In 2022, tissue and hygiene continues to benefit from raised awareness of hygiene in and outside of the home. Meanwhile, categories such as nappies/diapers/pants and sanitary protection are already well developed and although these products are…

Global inflation is meaning price-sensitive Jordanians have remained cautious in their purchasing patterns in 2022, forcing them to reduce their spending on tissue and hygiene. However, demand is improving due to the rising awareness of hygiene in…

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…

Qatar’s affluent population makes the country an attractive prospect for international retailers, especially given the popularity of shopping as a leisure activity and the preference for global brands. However, the country’s low population and the…

Life in Saudi Arabia returned to relative normality in 2022 after the government removed all the remaining COVID-19 restrictions. Consumers returned to shopping malls, schools and the workplace with this positively impacting sales through vending…

Supermarkets is the largest grocery retailers channel in Saudi Arabia and it continued to see stable growth in current value terms in 2022. The supermarkets channel was one of the big winners from the pandemic, with these stores remaining open…

Small local grocers had been in decline before the onset of the pandemic due in large part to heightened competition from modern grocery retail outlets, with the number of outlets declining. COVID-19 served to accelerate this trend. Small local…

Retail in Saudi Arabia witnessed a strong recovery in domestic demand as the remaining COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. Sales also benefited from an increase in retail space in 2022 with a significant number of new outlets opening, including within…

Retail e-commerce witnessed double-digit growth in current value terms in 2022. With the lifting of Saudi Arabia’s remaining COVID-19 restrictions, consumers started to return to their pre-pandemic lifestyles, including going out more to shopping…

Hypermarkets witnessed strong growth in 2020 following the outbreak of COVID-19, with panic-buying and stockpiling benefiting sales through the channel. However, as COVID-19 restrictions were gradually lifted local consumers started spending less…

Home products specialists were particularly hit hard by the pandemic in 2020, as real estate activity slowed due to curfew legislation from 15 March until 20 June and people preferred delaying any major house refurbishments activities until…

Saudi Arabia has a high internet penetration, while the Saudi population are also very interested in various social media platforms. Social media allows consumers to keep up to date with the latest health and beauty trends while also ensuring they…