Prime Highlights
- Point-of-sale spending in Saudi Arabia surged nearly 28% in the final week of January, driven by increased consumer activity across retail, services, and food sectors.
- Major cities, including Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam, mirrored the national trend, reflecting growing digital payment adoption and support for Vision 2030 goals.
Key Facts
- Total POS transactions reached SR16 billion ($4.27 billion), with 248.8 million transactions, a 16.5% increase week-on-week.
- Jewelry spending jumped 55.5% to SR613.69 million, while food and beverage spending surged 38.6% to SR2.6 billion, the largest contributor to overall POS value.
Background
Point-of-sale spending in Saudi Arabia surged in the final week of January, rising nearly 28 percent from the previous week as consumers increased their spending across most sectors, according to data released by the Saudi Central Bank.
Total POS transactions reached SR16 billion ($4.27 billion) in the week ending Jan. 31, marking a 27.8 percent week-on-week increase. Transactions also rose sharply, increasing 16.5 percent to 248.8 million, as activity grew in both the retail and service sectors.
Jewelry recorded the sharpest growth during the week, with spending jumping 55.5 percent to SR613.69 million. Laundry services followed with a 44.4 percent increase to SR62.83 million. Spending on personal care products rose 29.1 percent, while purchases of books and stationery edged up 5.1 percent. Hotel spending increased 7.4 percent to SR377.1 million.
Healthcare-related spending also showed solid gains. Outlays on pharmacies and medical supplies rose 33.4 percent to SR259.19 million, while spending on medical services increased 13.7 percent to SR515.44 million.
Food and beverage remained the largest contributor to overall POS value, surging 38.6 percent to SR2.6 billion. Restaurants and cafes followed with a 20.4 percent rise to SR1.81 billion. Apparel and clothing spending increased 35.4 percent to SR1.33 billion, making it the third-largest category for the week.
Major cities reflected the national trend. Riyadh topped POS spending with SR5.44 billion, up 22 percent from last week. Jeddah rose 23.7 percent to SR2.16 billion, and Dammam increased 22.2 percent to SR783.06 million.
The weekly POS data highlights growing consumer activity and supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals by promoting digital payments and expanding electronic transaction infrastructure across the Kingdom.
