RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s point-of-sale transactions held near the $4 billion mark in the week ended March 21, underscoring resilient consumer spending even as overall activity declined.
The total value of transactions reached SR14.79 billion ($3.94 billion), down 8.4 percent from the previous week, according to data from the Saudi Central Bank, also known as SAMA.
The number of transactions stood at 223.89 million, marking a marginal 1.3 percent decline.
Spending on apparel and clothing totaled SR2.33 billion, despite a 17.6 percent drop from the prior week, while outlays on food and beverages totaled SR2.11 billion, down 6.3 percent.
In contrast to the weekly drop, overall spending remained elevated, reflecting sustained consumer confidence and the ongoing shift toward digital payments, supported by the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 reform initiative.
