20 Did You Know
T he surge placed education among only three sectors to record positive growth during the period, keeping overall point-of-sale (POS) transactions above the SR13 billion mark despite a modest 0.5 percent weekly decline. Education in Focus The rise in spending reflected the back- to-school season, with families investing heavily in fees, supplies, and related services. The number of education-related transactions climbed 47.8 percent to reach 270,000, highlighting the scale of consumer activity as schools reopened. Education accounted for the third largest share of POS transactions across all categories for the week, reinforcing its importance as both a household priority and a key driver of consumer activity. Broader Consumer Trends While education spending spiked, other sectors painted a mixed picture.
Spending by Region Geographically, Riyadh led the Kingdom’s spending with SR4.90 billion in POS transactions, a rise of 6.8 percent compared with the week before. Jeddah ranked second with SAR 1.77 billion despite a 2.5 percent dip, while Dammam came third with SAR 671.8 million, up 6.9 percent. A Resilient Sector The figures underscore the resilience of Saudi education spending, even as other consumer categories softened. With schools now back in session, education remains one of the most robust sectors, reflecting its central role in household budgets and in the Kingdom’s broader vision for human capital development.
R ecreation and culture rose by 5.6 percent, with book and stationery sales up 34.5 percent to SAR 165.1 million, alongside a 40.2 percent increase in transaction volume. Recreation outlays, however, dipped 11.3 percent to SAR 185.9 million. Food and beverages, the largest spending category, fell 5.2 percent to SAR 1.78 billion. R estaurants and cafes dropped 8.4 percent, totalling SAR 1.55 billion, the second-biggest sector by value. A irline spending posted the sharpest decline, falling 15.8 percent to SR41.8 million, followed by hotels, down 14.5 percent to SAR 272.1 million. S pending at gas stations decreased 5.9 percent to SAR 936.4 million. T ransportation and health both saw 6.2 percent declines. S maller drops were recorded in furniture (down 3.1 percent) and construction materials (down 2.5 percent).
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