Saudi Arabia’s Ramadan 2026 consumer season is on course to reach total spending of 65 billion riyals ($17.3 billion), according to market estimates drawing on Saudi Central Bank data, representing a 12 percent increase over Ramadan 2025. With the holy month now in its final days, sector-level figures across retail, e-commerce and entertainment confirm that domestic consumption is not merely holding pace but accelerating with structural momentum, positioning Saudi Arabia’s non-oil economy for a strong close to the first quarter of 2026.
Retail Growth and Record Electronic Payment Volumes
Saudi Arabia’s retail sector recorded 18 percent year-on-year growth during the first half of Ramadan 2026, with electronic payment transactions through point-of-sale terminals reaching 42.8 billion riyals in the first two weeks of the month — up from 36.2 billion riyals in the same period of Ramadan 2025, according to figures derived from SAMA data. The increase reflects a combination of higher footfall volumes, greater spending per visit, and the continued shift in Saudi consumer behaviour toward cashless transactions.
Food and grocery spending accounts for the largest share of Ramadan expenditure at 34 percent, followed by clothing and fashion at 19 percent and restaurants and cafes at 15 percent. The entertainment sector’s share of total Ramadan spending has risen to 11 percent from just 7 percent three years ago — a shift that reflects Saudi Arabia’s expanded licensed entertainment ecosystem and a changed social dynamic in which leisure and cultural activities have become a meaningful component of how Ramadan is celebrated across the kingdom.
E-Commerce Platforms Post Their Strongest Ramadan on Record
Saudi Arabia’s digital retail channels delivered some of their strongest performance numbers on record during Ramadan 2026. Noon, the kingdom’s largest homegrown e-commerce platform, reported a 45 percent increase in orders compared to Ramadan 2025, while Amazon Saudi Arabia recorded 38 percent growth over the same comparison period. Electronics, household goods and Eid gifts drove the top categories by order volume.
Total e-commerce revenues during Ramadan 2026 are estimated at 9.2 billion riyals ($2.45 billion), accounting for 14 percent of overall consumer spending during the month. That proportion has climbed from 8 percent in Ramadan 2022 — an indication that Saudi Arabia’s digital commerce infrastructure has matured considerably over a short period and that consumers are now confident making high-value purchases online during a season that was once dominated by physical retail.
Delivery Sector and Broader Economic Signals
Saudi Arabia’s delivery and logistics sector experienced record operational pressure during Ramadan 2026. Platforms including Mrsool, HungerStation and Jahez reported average daily order volumes 62 percent above regular-month benchmarks, with peak demand concentrated in the hours following Iftar as households sought large-order meal delivery for family gatherings. The scale of that demand tested fulfilment capacity and underscored how deeply embedded food delivery has become in the kingdom’s daily domestic routines.
Separately, 8.5 million Umrah pilgrims have contributed to hospitality and retail activity in Makkah and Madinah during the month, adding a significant incremental layer to the kingdom’s overall service sector activity. The confluence of domestic consumer spending at record levels and elevated religious tourism creates a first-quarter economic environment that reinforces the trajectory Saudi Arabia’s non-oil sector has maintained since 2023 — and underlines the kingdom’s deepening ability to generate domestic demand that complements rather than merely follows the oil price cycle.
