Saudi Arabia recorded strong consumer activity, with Saudi POS spending reaching $3.16 billion during the latest reporting week. Although overall activity dipped slightly, this marks the fifth straight week above the $3 billion mark. Education-related purchases played a key role in supporting this level.
Education spending increased by 3.6 percent, totaling SR 111.18 million. However, the number of education-related transactions dropped by 4.1 percent to 140,000. Still, Saudi POS Sales remained steady due to continued demand in key sectors and strong performance in large cities.
At the same time, total transaction volume across all sectors fell by 2.9 percent to 206.46 million. Despite this, spending remained stable, suggesting that consumers remain active and confident. For example, hotel-related purchases rose by 1.3 percent to SR291.07 million, contributing positively to Saudi POS spending.
Meanwhile, the Saudi Cabinet passed a new statistics law to improve how retail data is reported. The reform adds detailed subcategories to POS reports, increasing accuracy and transparency. These changes align with Vision 2030 goals for smarter data governance and retail performance tracking.
The data shows books and stationery took the biggest hit, down 5.8 percent to SR98.11 million. Airlines followed with a 5.6 percent decline to SR65.20 million. Both sectors still contribute meaningfully to the overall payments of Saudi POS, despite short-term dips.
Food and beverages led all sectors, with SR1.70 billion in transactions, though down 1.8 percent. Restaurants and cafes came next with SR1.55 billion, slipping 2.4 percent. Transportation ranked third, bringing in SR945.76 million after a 2.2 percent fall. Together, these top categories made up SR4.19 billion of total Saudi POS Expenses.
Other areas, such as postal and telecom services, recorded minor changes. Freight, courier, and delivery dropped only 0.9 percent. Telecommunication dipped by 1 percent, reaching SR131.86 million, showing consistent consumer use.
Regionally, Riyadh led with SR4.1 billion in POS value, despite a 2.7 percent drop. Jeddah followed with SR1.70 billion, down 3.1 percent. Dammam posted SR566.81 million, showing a 2.8 percent dip.
However, cities like Al-Jubail and Al-Baha saw growth. Al-Jubail increased 0.6 percent to SR123.04 million, while Al-Baha rose 0.7 percent to SR76.12 million. Hail and Tabuk, on the other hand, experienced notable declines in transaction volume.
The costs remain stable and active, supported by education, hospitality, and retail reforms. The outlook remains strong as Saudi consumers continue to engage, and new data tools enhance visibility.
