Saudi Arabia's point-of-sale spending remained above $3 billion in the week ending June 20, underscoring resilient consumer activity despite a broader slowdown across most sectors. According to the latest data from the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), total POS transactions stood at SR12.4 billion ($3.3 billion), down 6.5 percent from the previous week. The total number of transactions fell 4.8 percent to 226.7 million from 238.2 million a week earlier.
Most Sectors Decline, Jewelry Leads Drop
Most sectors recorded declines during the period, with jewelry posting the steepest drop in transaction value, falling 22.7 percent to SR493.8 million. Public utilities and services fell 11.2 percent to SR47.9 million, while laundry services dropped 11.1 percent to SR45.5 million, and trade of vehicles and spare parts also declined 11.1 percent to SR493.1 million.
Hotels and Education Buck the Trend
A handful of sectors bucked the trend. Hotels recorded the strongest growth, with spending rising 4.9 percent to SR197.4 million. Education spending increased 4.7 percent to SR220.8 million, while freight transport and courier services posted a modest 2.4 percent gain to SR44.5 million.
Food and Beverages Remain Top Category
Food and beverages remained the largest POS spending category despite an 8 percent decline to SR1.94 billion. Restaurants and cafes ranked second, with spending falling 5.1 percent to SR1.55 billion. Professional and business services was one of the few major categories to record growth, rising 0.7 percent to SR765.7 million and ranking third by transaction value.
City-Level Spending: Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam
Riyadh, which accounted for the largest share of total POS spending, recorded a 2.9 percent decline in transaction value to SR4.45 billion, while the number of transactions also fell 2.9 percent to 74.1 million. Jeddah saw spending decrease 7.2 percent to SR1.70 billion, while Dammam posted a 6.2 percent decline to SR631.4 million.
Digital Payments and Vision 2030
POS data, tracked weekly by SAMA, serves as an indicator of spending patterns and the continued adoption of digital payments across the Kingdom. The figures also underscore the expanding reach of POS infrastructure beyond major retail centers into smaller cities and service sectors, supporting broader digital inclusion efforts. The growth of digital payment technologies aligns with the goals of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy, which seeks to increase the use of electronic transactions and accelerate the development of the Kingdom’s digital economy.
