Consumer spending via POS transactions rises 12% to SAR 104 bln in September: SAMA

ATM

Consumer spending in Saudi Arabia increased 12% to SAR 104 billion in September 2022, from SAR 92.71 billion during the same month last year, according to the Saudi Central Bank's (SAMA) monthly bulletin.

Compared to August 2022, consumer spending through points of sale (POS), withdrawals and e-commerce sales through "Mada" decreased by SAR 3.13 billion.

Consumer spending includes total cash withdrawals, point-of-sale (POS) transactions and e-commerce sales through "Mada", as the following table shows:

POS transactions rose 19% year-on-year (YoY) to SAR 47.4 billion in September.

Data showed that a total of 644.4 million transactions were processed through 1.31 million POS devices in August.

POS transactions represent what is spent by consumers using their ATM and credit cards in shopping malls, retail stores, pharmacies, etc.

The following table shows the development of POS transactions:

Cash withdrawals saw a decline of 1% YoY to SAR 45.38 billion in September.

These withdrawals were processed from 16,300 ATMs through 129.5 million transactions.

E-commerce sales through Mada cards increased 59% YoY to SAR 11.16 billion in September.

According to SAMA's monthly bulletin, these sales were made through 54 million transactions.

E-commerce sales include Mada cards payment and purchase transactions through shopping websites and online applications, but do not include transactions made through Visa, MasterCard and other credit cards.