SAMA data reveals strong growth across retail and services, with food, recreation and apparel leading gains as digital payments expand nationwide.
Riyadh, December [Date] — Point-of-sale spending in Saudi Arabia jumped by more than a fifth in the week ending November 29, reaching SR15.1 billion (approximately $4 billion), the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) reported.
The double-digit increase in transaction value—up 20.4% week-on-week—was accompanied by a 9.1% rise in transaction volume, exceeding 240 million purchases. The data signals robust consumer activity and continued migration toward digital payment channels across the Kingdom.
Spending growth was broad-based, with notable surges in several lifestyle and service categories. Outlays on recreation rose 35.3%, while apparel and clothing followed closely with a 34.6% increase. Laundry services posted the sharpest percentage gain at 36%. The food and beverage sector remained the largest in value terms, recording SR2.31 billion in transactions, a 28.4% rise.
The data highlighted two areas of contraction: education-related spending declined 40.4%, and airline expenditure fell 25.2%. The dip in air travel spending occurred during a week of global flight disruptions linked to an urgent Airbus recall, though Saudi carriers flyadeal and flynas reported rapid compliance and minimal operational impact.
Geographically, Riyadh continued to lead in transaction value at SR5.08 billion, a 14.1% weekly increase. Jeddah followed with SR2.03 billion, up 18.1%, and Dammam recorded SR708.08 million, growing 14%.
The sustained expansion of POS activity underscores the deepening penetration of digital payment infrastructure beyond major commercial hubs into smaller cities and diverse economic sectors. This trend supports the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals of promoting a less cash-dependent society, enhancing financial inclusion, and building a competitive digital economy.
