Education spending in Saudi Arabia surged 141% as students returned to classrooms after the mid-year break.
RIYADH — Spending on education-related activities in Saudi Arabia surged sharply as students returned to classrooms following the mid-year break, according to the latest point-of-sale data released by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA).
For the week ending Jan. 24, education spending rose by 141.1 percent, reflecting heightened demand for school-related goods and services across the Kingdom. The increase was accompanied by a 7 percent rise in spending on books and stationery, which reached SR146.17 million ($38.9 million).
Despite the strong performance in education-related categories, overall POS transaction values declined. Total spending via POS terminals fell by 10.6 percent week on week to SR12.52 billion, while the number of transactions dropped 9.7 percent to 213.62 million.
Most other consumer sectors recorded negative weekly changes. Spending at bakeries and pastry shops declined by 18.4 percent to SR229.71 million, while gas station expenditures fell by 11 percent. Professional and business services also saw an 11.6 percent decrease.
Retail categories faced additional pressure, with apparel and clothing expenditure falling 19.7 percent to SR985.94 million. Jewelry spending slipped by 2.8 percent, while car rental expenditures dropped 14.7 percent. Airline spending also declined by 9.3 percent to SR38.16 million.
Food and beverage spending, which continued to command the largest share of POS transactions, decreased by 7.9 percent to SR1.88 billion. Restaurants and cafes ranked second, despite an 18.5 percent drop to SR1.50 billion.
From a regional perspective, Riyadh accounted for the largest share of POS spending, although transaction values in the capital declined by 6 percent to SR4.46 billion. The number of transactions in Riyadh fell 6.8 percent week on week to 69.07 million.
In Jeddah, transaction values dropped by 13.6 percent to SR1.75 billion, while Dammam recorded a 4.8 percent decrease to SR640.59 million.
SAMA’s weekly POS data serves as a key indicator of consumer spending behavior and the continued expansion of digital payment adoption in the Kingdom. The figures also highlight the growing reach of POS infrastructure beyond major urban centers, supporting financial inclusion and digital transformation.
The growth of electronic payments remains aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to accelerate the shift toward a diversified, digitally driven economy.
