RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s point-of-sale spending eased in mid-December but remained above the $3 billion mark, with apparel the only major category to record growth.
Total POS transaction value across the Kingdom fell 6.2 percent week on week to SR12.49 billion ($3.33 billion) during the week of Dec. 14–20, according to data released by the Saudi Central Bank, while the number of transactions declined 7.5 percent to 218.30 million.
Spending on apparel, clothing and accessories bucked the trend, rising 4.7 percent week on week to SR1.22 billion. The increase came despite a 1 percent decline in transaction volumes, indicating higher average ticket sizes, likely supported by seasonal holiday shopping.
Spending on food and beverages declined 5.9 percent to SR1.89 billion, while transaction volumes in the category fell 7.2 percent to 50.03 million.
Restaurants and cafes also recorded weaker activity, with transaction values down 8.8 percent to SR1.57 billion and volumes declining 7.6 percent to 54.03 million transactions.
Transportation registered the sharpest contraction in transaction volumes among major sectors, down 9.2 percent to 5.41 million transactions, while spending value declined 4.8 percent to SR880 million.
Gas stations saw transaction volumes fall 7.1 percent to 16.44 million, with spending down 7.9 percent to SR920 million.
Regionally, Riyadh continued to lead POS activity despite a slowdown. Transaction values in the capital declined 4.7 percent to SR4.42 billion, while transaction volumes fell 6.3 percent to 69.84 million.
Jeddah followed, with spending down 2.7 percent to SR1.73 billion and transaction volumes decreasing 4.6 percent to 26.15 million.
Other major cities recorded steeper declines. In Dammam, transaction values fell 6.6 percent to SR610 million, while volumes declined 7.8 percent to 8.91 million transactions.
Makkah saw spending fall 5.3 percent to SR540 million, with transaction volumes down 8 percent. Madinah recorded the sharpest city-level drop in volumes, declining 9.4 percent to 8.59 million transactions, while spending fell 5.4 percent to SR520 million.
The data points to a broad-based moderation in consumer spending during mid-December, with apparel and clothing standing out as the only major category to post value growth, likely reflecting increased discretionary spending linked to the holiday season.
