Saudi POS spending surges 38% to $4.4bn amid strong consumer demand
Riyadh sees largest share of total POS spending with transaction values rising 29.6%
Saudi Arabia's total point-of-sale (POS) transactions reached SR16.6 billion ($4.4 billion) in the week ending May 2, marking a 37.7 percent jump in transaction value according to data from the Saudi Central Bank.
The number of POS transactions increased by 20.2 percent to 270.7 million, reflecting broad-based momentum across consumer spending categories.Transportation-related POS spending recorded significant gains with freight transport and courier services seeing a 92.4 percent surge to SR86.6 million.
Airlines saw a 19 percent increase in outlays to SR51.4 million while auto and equipment rentals rose by 41.3 percent to SR79.2 million.Food and beverage expenditures claimed the largest share of POS spending, growing by 48.9 percent to SR2.83 billion.
Restaurants and cafes followed with a 23.4 percent increase in spending, reaching SR1.99 billion.
Apparel and clothing surged by 53.1 percent to become the third-largest spending category during the week.Hotel spending also saw notable growth, increasing 7 percent in value to SR355.2 million and growing 11.2 percent in terms of the number of transactions to 956,000.
The sector is benefiting from stronger travel and hospitality activity throughout the Kingdom.Laundry services experienced one of the sharpest weekly increases with a 61.9 percent growth in spending reaching SR76.3 million.
Telecommunications expenditure rose by 58 percent to SR243.6 million while jewelry spending increased by 46.4 percent to SR499.5 million.Riyadh, which accounted for the largest share of total POS spending, saw transaction values rise by 29.6 percent to SR5.52 billion with a 16.8 percent increase in transactions reaching 86.3 million.
In Jeddah, transaction values increased by 30 percent to SR2.18 billion while Makkah reported a 28.6 percent rise to SR779.2 million.
Dammam saw spending grow by 28.5 percent to reach SR809.8 million.POS data tracked weekly by SAMA provides insights into consumer spending trends and the ongoing growth of digital payments in Saudi Arabia.
The data also highlights the expanding reach of POS infrastructure, extending beyond major retail hubs to smaller cities and service sectors, which supports broader digital inclusion initiatives.The growth of digital payment technologies aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 objectives promoting electronic transactions and contributing to the Kingdom's broader digital economy.
The number of POS transactions increased by 20.2 percent to 270.7 million, reflecting broad-based momentum across consumer spending categories.Transportation-related POS spending recorded significant gains with freight transport and courier services seeing a 92.4 percent surge to SR86.6 million.
Airlines saw a 19 percent increase in outlays to SR51.4 million while auto and equipment rentals rose by 41.3 percent to SR79.2 million.Food and beverage expenditures claimed the largest share of POS spending, growing by 48.9 percent to SR2.83 billion.
Restaurants and cafes followed with a 23.4 percent increase in spending, reaching SR1.99 billion.
Apparel and clothing surged by 53.1 percent to become the third-largest spending category during the week.Hotel spending also saw notable growth, increasing 7 percent in value to SR355.2 million and growing 11.2 percent in terms of the number of transactions to 956,000.
The sector is benefiting from stronger travel and hospitality activity throughout the Kingdom.Laundry services experienced one of the sharpest weekly increases with a 61.9 percent growth in spending reaching SR76.3 million.
Telecommunications expenditure rose by 58 percent to SR243.6 million while jewelry spending increased by 46.4 percent to SR499.5 million.Riyadh, which accounted for the largest share of total POS spending, saw transaction values rise by 29.6 percent to SR5.52 billion with a 16.8 percent increase in transactions reaching 86.3 million.
In Jeddah, transaction values increased by 30 percent to SR2.18 billion while Makkah reported a 28.6 percent rise to SR779.2 million.
Dammam saw spending grow by 28.5 percent to reach SR809.8 million.POS data tracked weekly by SAMA provides insights into consumer spending trends and the ongoing growth of digital payments in Saudi Arabia.
The data also highlights the expanding reach of POS infrastructure, extending beyond major retail hubs to smaller cities and service sectors, which supports broader digital inclusion initiatives.The growth of digital payment technologies aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 objectives promoting electronic transactions and contributing to the Kingdom's broader digital economy.
