Geographically located in West Asia, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the biggest country in the Middle East (as measured in land mass).

In 2021, Saudi Arabia’s population was 35.5 million people. Arabic is Saudi Arabia’s official language.

Saudi Arabia offers an enticing market for consumer products, given that it ranks as the world’s 17th richest nation in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on a Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) basis. As of October 2021, Saudi Arabia’s GDP per PPP was US$1.734 trillion.

Saudi Arabia’s demand for imported consumer goods in 2020 resulted in a subtotal US$65.3 billion worth of Saudi Arabian spending on the 100 most valuable consumer imports identified in this article.

That consumer-driven dollar amount translates to 49.7% of the overall value of all goods imported into Saudi Arabia. Spending on all Saudi Arabian imports, including raw materials, intermediate products and semi-finished goods, totaled an estimated overall $131.3 billion in 2020.

Among Saudi Arabia’s most valuable imported consumer products in 2020 are: cars, phone devices including smartphones, medications, processed petroleum oils and computers.

Spending on all of Saudi Arabia’s imported goods declined by -9% from 2019 to 2020. Saudi Arabia’s purchases focused on its top 100 consumer imports decreased in value by a more modest -5.4% over the latest annual period.

The deceleration in Saudi Arabian spending for key imported consumer products fell below the global average from 2019 to 2020, which was an average drop of -8.2% for all importing countries around the world.

Among the top 100 consumer products imported by Saudi Arabia, 51 increased in total value from 2019 to 2020 whereas the remaining 49 declined.

Changes in Saudi Arabian consumer demand for essential imports offer future opportunities for international suppliers who correctly anticipate which upward or downward trends will continue.

Consumer Products Defined

Economics educator BoyceWire defines a consumer product as a final good or end product that a business creates for consumers to buy. For example, consumers often purchase refined petroleum oil at the gas station while imported crude oil is an intermediate good subject to further processing before being sold to end users.

Although there may be a few wealthy individual buyers, products like turbojets are excluded from the consumer products targeted by this study. That is because turbojets are usually purchased by corporations. In contrast, it is common for a consumer to buy a motorcycle.

Types of Consumer Products

This article focuses on 3 distinct consumer product types.

Convenience Products are easy to access, non-durable, have relatively lower prices and therefore consumers frequently purchase them. Examples of convenience products are food, alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks, and soap.

Shopping Products are not as easily available, involve more time to make a buying decision, are durable and are not bought as often as most convenience products. A great example of a shopping product is a mobile phone where buying the wrong model is a much more expensive mistake than buying a disappointing loaf of bread.

Speciality Products describe another consumer product type. This grey area includes infrequently purchased, expensive, durable and sometimes rare items. Consumers may consider the product’s brand image when making their purchase decisions. Some examples of speciality products are gold, silver, diamonds, jewelry, and branded refrigerators and dishwashers.

Saudi Arabia’s Most Valuable Imported Convenience Products

The list below showcases the most valuable imported convenience products on which buyers in Saudi Arabia spent the most. Items were selected at the four-digit Harmonized System tariff classification code level and are presented in descending order.

You can also peruse the greatest increases or decreases in product values from 2019 to 2020 by focusing on the percentages displayed to the right of each product name.

Medications: US$4,201,859,000 (up 4.6%)
Processed petroleum oils: $3,787,383,000 (up 5.9%)
Rice: $1,404,237,000 (down -0.8%)
Poultry meat: $1,125,179,000 (down -13.6%)
Concentrated/sweetened milk: $877,811,000 (up 15.6%)
Other food preparations: $784,629,000 (up 4.0%)
Cheese, curd: $683,284,000 (up 3.5%)
Malt extract, food preparations: $668,935,000 (up 0.8%)
Bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries: $668,698,000 (down -0.3%)
Corn: $654,188,000 (down -8.5%)
Barley: $616,143,000 (up 13.7%)
Cigars/cigarellos, cigarettes: $548,457,000 (up 5.9%)
Sugar (cane or beet): $489,957,000 (up 15.2%)
Miscellaneous plastic items: $424,597,000 (up 19.7%)
Chocolate, other cocoa preparations: $423,149,000 (down -18.1%)
Fresh or dried citrus fruit: $422,887,000 (up 17.8%)
Other organic cleaning preparations: $388,718,000 (up 17.0%)
Perfumes, toilet waters: $348,169,000 (down -24.5%)
Palm oil: $309,125,000 (down -8.4%)
Nutmeg, cardamoms: $307,538,000 (up 65.0%)
Miscellaneous fruits (fresh): $301,544,000 (up 19.0%)
Frozen beef: $287,182,000 (up 4.0%)
Coffee: $281,404,000 (up 13.7%)
Fish, caviar (preserved/prepared): $267,243,000 (up 8.8%)
Soya beans: $259,604,000 (down -0.8%)
Butter: $259,157,000 (up 18.8%)
Fruit and vegetable juices: $257,419,000 (up 26.7%)
Sugar confectionery (no cocoa): $250,478,000 (down -3.1%)
Fresh or chilled beef: $247,031,000 (up 25.9%)
Tea (including flavored): $243,557,000 (up 2.9%)
Prepared vegetables (frozen): $241,397,000 (down -15.6%)
Plastic packing goods, lids, caps: $236,051,000 (down -12.3%)
Miscellaneous nuts: $231,511,000 (up 6.3%)
Spices ginger, saffron, thyme, curry: $229,923,000 (up 27.4%)
Apples, pears (fresh): $219,990,000 (up 4.8%)
Plastic wares (table, kitchen, toiletry): $216,133,000 (down -8.4%)
Medication mixes not in dosage: $215,785,000 (up 51.7%)
Tissues, napkins, toilet paper: $209,519,000 (up 44.1%)
Sauces, condiments, seasoning: $202,090,000 (up 18.7%)
Eggs in shell (bird): $185,121,000 (up 151.0%)
Prepared vegetables (non-frozen): $183,822,000 (up 20.3%)
Waters with added sugar: $159,328,000 (up 32.3%)
Onions, garlic, leeks: $158,253,000 (up 15.4%)

Convenience products led by the products listed above represent the Middle Eastern country’s most popular import product type attracting Saudi Arabia’s international spending ahead of both shopping products and speciality goods.

Non-durable consumer products are goods that are not re-used once consumed. Alcoholic beverages and bananas are examples of non-durable goods. Convenience products are uniquely non-durable consumer products.

Saudi Arabia’s Most Valuable Imported Shopping Products

Below, the list highlights the most valuable imported shopping products on which buyers in Saudi Arabia spent the greatest amounts. Items were selected at the four-digit Harmonized System tariff classification code level and are presented from highest to lowest total amounts.

The percentages displayed to the right of each product name reveal the highest increases or decreases in Saudi Arabian spending on that specific type of shopping product from 2019 to 2020.

Cars: US$10,560,451,000 (down -3.4%)
Phones: $6,178,422,000 (down -14.2%)
Computers, optical readers: $2,054,786,000 (up 11.5%)
Rubber tires (new): $1,209,966,000 (down -22.3%)
Hot-roll iron/non-alloy steel items: $1,019,059,000 (down -8.6%)
Automobile parts/accessories: $938,607,000 (down -30%)
Miscellaneous furniture: $858,654,000 (down -12%)
Trucks: $822,901,000 (down -14.6%)
Women’s clothing (not knit/crochet): $611,455,000 (down -28.5%)
Electrical converters/power units: $482,036,000 (down -2.8%)
Miscellaneous textile items: $473,781,000 (up 595.9%)
Seats (not barber/dentist chairs): $473,456,000 (down -5.1%)
Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $458,480,000 (up 9.7%)
Insulated wire/cable: $443,028,000 (down -22.7%)
Cases, handbags, wallets: $378,563,000 (down -32.7%)
Tractors: $320,402,000 (up 49.2%)
T-shirts, vests (knit or crochet): $315,507,000 (down -23.6%)
Hair preparations: $301,326,000 (down -10.8%)
Miscellaneous iron or steel items: $284,931,000 (up 19.1%)
Screws, bolts, washers, hooks, pins: $275,780,000 (up 5.3%)
Women’s clothing (knit or crochet): $275,349,000 (down -23.1%)
Soap, organic surface-active goods: $268,756,000 (down -7.4%)
Wrist/pocket watches (precious case): $248,814,000 (up 19.3%)
Shaving preparations, deodorants: $248,665,000 (up 8.8%)
Miscellaneous toys: $229,499,000 (up 5.8%)
Trailers: $228,427,000 (down -11.7%)
Microphones/headphones/amps: $223,024,000 (down -23.8%)
Printing machinery: $215,140,000 (down -47.2%)
Footwear (rubber or plastic): $205,714,000 (down -37.2%)
Vulcanized rubber items: $205,147,000 (up 31.9%)
Footwear (textile): $204,867,000 (down -23.6%)
Unrecorded sound media: $204,290,000 (down -9.2%)
Aluminum foil: $203,024,000 (up 2.9%)
Iron/steel tables, household items: $202,948,000 (down -28.7%)
Felt, other non-woven garments: $202,487,000 (down -50.9%)
Woven floor coverings, carpets: $191,214,000 (down -31%)
Mattresses, quilts: $187,008,000 (down -10.6%)
Orthopedic appliances: $182,381,000 (down -36.1%)
Computer parts, accessories: US$179,567,000 (up 17.9%)
Video console games, table games: $171,977,000 (down -5.4%)
Women’s underwear (knit/crochet): $163,505,000 (up 28.5%)
Sportswear (unknit/non-crochet): $160,452,000 (down -9.1%)

Focusing on the scope of this analysis, shopping products is Saudi Arabia’s second-most popular category behind convenience products but ahead of speciality items.

Shopping products exceeded two-fifths (42) of the overall top 100 Saudi Arabian imported consumer goods.

Durable consumer products are goods like cars, refrigerators and furniture that last a relatively long time. Consumers can put durable products to use again and again. Note that shopping products and speciality products are considered as durable consumer products.

Saudi Arabia’s Most Valuable Imported Speciality Products

Speciality products represent the category with the fewest entries among Saudi Arabia’s imports that attracted the country’s spending on imported consumer goods during 2020.

Selected at the four-digit Har monized System tariff classification code level, the most valuable speciality items are listed in descending order below.

The percentage to the right of each product name reveal highest increases or decreases in 2020 compared to 2019.

Air conditioners: US$1,325,673,000 (up 14.1%)
Gold (unwrought): $1,167,507,000 (down -49.9%)
Liquid pumps: $842,937,000 (down -3.5%)
Jewelry: $602,663,000 (down -43.4%)
Beauty/makeup/skin care: $596,594,000 (down -11.7%)
Refrigerators, freezers: $578,187,000 (up 14.8%)
Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $500,031,000 (up 14.9%)
Temperature-change machines: $334,202,000 (down -33.4%)
Electric storage batteries: $322,438,000 (down -12.7%)
Electric generating sets, converters: $315,592,000 (up 8.4%)
Dishwash, clean/dry/fill machines: $292,561,000 (up 21.8%)
Household base metal mountings: $263,472,000 (down -6.6%)
Special hand/machine tools: $234,593,000 (up 0.2%)
Washing machines: $206,960,000 (up 16.7%)
Electric motors, not generating sets: $204,496,000 (down -9.9%)

Like shopping products, speciality products are considered as durable consumer products.

Based on the product types identified in the sections above, 57 of Saudi Arabia’s 100 highest-value consumer shopper plus speciality products are durable while the remaining 43 convenience products are classified as non-durable.

Fastest-Growing Saudi Arabian Consumer Imports

Listed below are the top 10 consumer products imported into Saudi Arabia that experienced the highest percentage increases in spending from 2019 to 2020.

Miscellaneous textile items: Up 595.9% (US$473.8 million)
Bird eggs in shell: Up 151% ($185.1 million)
Nutmeg, cardamoms: Up 65% ($307.5 million)
Medication mixes not in dosage: Up 51.7% ($215.8 million)
Tractors: Up 49.2% ($320.4 million)
Tissues, napkins, toilet paper: Up 44.1% ($209.5 million)
Waters with added sugar: Up 32.3% ($159.3 million)
Vulcanized rubber apparel: Up 31.9% ($205.1 million)
Knitted or crocheted women’s underwear: Up 28.5% ($163.5 million)
Spices like ginger, saffron, thyme, curry: Up 27.4% ($229.9 million)

There are 4 fastest-growers categorized as imported shopping products that consumers can store or re-use over time. The shopping products are miscellaneous textile items, tractors, vulcanized rubber apparel, and knitted or crocheted women’s underwear.

The remaining 6 front-runners are considered as one-time usage (non-durable) imported convenience products. Fastest growers among these were bird eggs in shell, nutmeg and cardamoms, medication mixes not in dosage.

Not one among the above top 10 gainers is a speciality product.

Worst-Declining Saudi Arabian Consumer Imports

Spending by import buyers in Saudi Arabia on the following 10 items decreased in value by the highest percentages from 2019 to 2020.

Felt, other non-woven garments: Down -50.9% (US$202.5 million)
Gold (unwrought): Down -49.9% ($1.2 billion)
Printing machinery: Down -47.2% ($215.1 million)
Jewelry: Down -43.4% ($602.7 million)
Rubber or plastic footwear: Down -37.2% ($205.7 million)
Orthopedic appliances: Down -36.1% ($182.4 million)
Temperature-change machines: Down -33.4% ($334.2 million)
Cases, handbags, wallets: Down -32.7% ($378.6 million)
Woven floor coverings, carpets: Down -31% ($191.2 million)
Automobile parts/accessories: Down -30% ($938.6 million)

Seven categories among Saudi Arabia’s top 10 severest decliners are durable shopping products used over a period of time. The severest slippages among those categories were for Saudi Arabia’s imported felt or other non-woven garments; printing machinery; rubber or plastic footwear; and orthopedic appliances.

There were 3 items categorized as speciality products among Saudi Arabia’s 10 major import decliners from 2019 to 2020. These are gold, jewelry and temperature-change machines.

Not one convenience product made Saudi Arabia’s list of top-declining goods year over year.

Key Product Suppliers by Country

The following analysis reveals competitive suppliers that target demand for 5 of Saudi Arabia’s top consumer import products.

Saudi Arabia’s biggest imported consumer product by value is cars. The other 4 leading consumer goods imported into Saudi Arabia are phone devices including smartphones, medications, processed petroleum oils, and computers.

Below, you will find major supplying countries for Saudi Arabia’s imported:

Cars: Japan (27.5% of total), United States (14%), South Korea (12.9%), China (11.5%), Germany (5.7%), Thailand (5.5%), India (5.3%), Indonesia (4.8%), United Kingdom (2.1%), and Taiwan (1.7%).

Phone devices including smartphones: China (78.2% of total), Vietnam (8.6%), India (3.1%), United States (2.2%), Malaysia (1.1%), Finland (also 1.1%), Mexico (0.8%), Thailand (0.7%), Taiwan (0.5%), and Germany (0.4%).

Medications: Germany (17.4% of total), United States (13.7%), France (11.3%), Ireland (6.5%), Denmark (6.4%), Switzerland (6.1%), Sweden (5.9%), Italy (5.4%), United Kingdom (5%), and Belgium (2.6%).

Processed petroleum oils: Egypt (25.9% of total), United Arab Emirates (24.6%), Netherlands (9.7%), Singapore (9.3%), India (7.4%), Greece (4.8%), Oman (4.1%), United States (2.5%), Bahamas (2.1%), and Bahrain (1.8%).

Computers: China (64.7% of total), United States (12%), Czech Republic (4.8%), Poland (4.4%), Mexico (2%), Ireland (1.7%), Thailand (1.4%), Germany (1.3%), Vietnam (1.25%), and Taiwan (1%).

References

Independent insights and analysis presented in this article are based on researched facts and statistics sourced from the following educational portals.

BoyceWire, Consumer Goods Definition.

Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook: Saudi Arabia Economy.

International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Databases.

International Trade Centre, Trade Map.

Investopedia, Consumer Goods, Consumer Staples Definition, Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG).

Richest Country Reports, Top 100 Richest Countries by GDP.

Trading Economics, Saudi Arabia Consumer Spending.

Wikipedia, List of largest consumer markets.

Wikipedia, Saudi Arabia, Geography of Saudi Arabia, Languages of Saudi Arabia.

World’s Top Exports, Saudi Arabia’s Top 10 Imports.