Middle East

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…

Glass jars remained a major pack type in sauces, dips and condiments in 2022 for a number of reasons. Glass is an inert material that does not interact chemically with the product content, ensuring that the flavour and quality of the sauces, dips or…

Metal food cans continue to be the leading pack type in shelf stable meat and seafood packaging. Metal food cans are excellent at preserving the freshness and quality of processed meat and seafood. They provide an effective barrier against light,…

Processed fruit and vegetables packaging was back recording positive growth in its unit volumes in 2022. This followed a year in which demand had slipped into decline in 2021, perhaps due to the spike in the growth rate seen in 2020 due to the…

The vast majority of consumers typically consume dairy products, but as the health and wellness trend spreads across the country, a niche segment of the population has shown an increasing preference for plant-based foods. Hence, plant-based dairy has…

Flexible aluminium/plastic was the dominant pack type in dry soup, which, given it is the biggest category in overall meals and soups, was therefore the dominant meals and soups packaging format. Flexible aluminium/plastic was also growing in 2022,…

In 2022, PET bottles were gaining share in dairy products in the United Arab Emirates for a number of reasons. PET bottles are lightweight, which makes them cost-effective to transport. In the United Arab Emirates, where dairy products might need to…

After two years of declining sales, confectionery packaging recorded positive growth in its packaging unit volumes again in 2022. However, the growth was modest as rising awareness of the potential negative effects of consuming confectionery, such as…

With milk formula accounting for almost half of baby food packaging unit volumes, and metal tins the dominant pack type in milk formula, this packaging format therefore remains the leading one in overall baby food, given metal tins also has a…

Glass jars remained the dominant pack type in sweet spreads packaging in 2022. Glass provides excellent protection from the effects of the outside environment, including sunlight, ensuring the product remains unaffected and prolonging its shelf life.…

After the effects of the pandemic and subsequent restrictions started to ease in Saudi Arabia in 2021, retail unit volume sales of sauces, dips and condiments and associated packaging suffered as consumers spent less time cooking at home. However, in…

In 2022, retail unit volume sales of processed meat and seafood packaging in Saudi Arabia notably increased compared to the previous year’s flat performance, as local consumers resumed their regular, out-of-home lifestyles after the pandemic and…

After recording a decline in 2021, retail unit volumes of processed fruit and vegetables packaging returned to growth in 2022. The previous year’s decline was largely due to the normalisation in demand following a huge boom in 2020, when consumers…

Already starting to emerge as a trend in Saudi Arabia earlier in the review period, the pandemic heightened local consumers’ awareness of their health and wellbeing and encouraged them to review their dietary and nutritional requirements. Although…

Demand for ready meals in Saudi Arabia surged during the pandemic as foodservice closures and fears around food delivery drove home-cooking occasions; ready meals presented a more convenient alternative than cooking meals from scratch. Although the…

After a surge in demand for dairy products and associated packaging in 2020 due to pandemic-related home seclusion, retail unit volume sales somewhat normalised the following year as restrictions started to ease and local consumers began to spend…

Overall confectionery packaging retail unit volume sales in Saudi Arabia returned to growth in 2022, albeit marginal, following pandemic-induced declines due to lack of mobility outside of the home and limited demand for impulse purchases. The…

Since the pandemic, retail unit volumes of baby food packaging have consistently declined. During the pandemic, mothers – particularly working mothers – had greater time to spend at home looking after their children, and this left them with more time…

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

Vending recorded significant declines in 2020 due to pandemic-induced lockdown periods and greater at-home consumption, resulting in limited footfall in public areas where vending machines tend to be located such as universities, railway stations,…