The Sentiment Shift That Gets Missed
Across Saudi Arabia, something subtle but powerful is reshaping the way people shop – a shift from consumption to connection.
According to YouGov’s Most Persuasive Brands in Saudi Arabia study (October 2025), six in ten Saudi consumers now prefer buying products made in their own country.
That’s not a coincidence – it’s a cultural correction.
Consumers want brands that feel familiar, speak their language, and reflect their lives.
And in a marketplace once dominated by foreign labels, “Made in Saudi” is beginning to sound like a promise – of trust, authenticity, and pride.
Local Identity Becomes a Competitive Edge
The Saudi retail renaissance is deeply tied to Vision 2030 – the kingdom’s plan to diversify its economy, empower entrepreneurs, and promote local industry.
But what’s interesting is how naturally consumers have followed suit.
Local brands like Nice One, Homegrown Market, SHEIN KSA, and Junaid Perfumes are building emotional resonance by telling local stories – not just selling local goods.
Their packaging, advertising, and brand language are grounded in culture: Arabic fonts, Saudi landscapes, and values that resonate beyond transactions.
For UAE and GCC marketers, the takeaway is clear – local relevance now is global readiness.
A brand rooted in place doesn’t limit its reach; it multiplies it.
Because in this region, authenticity converts better than aspiration.
Trust Has a New Spokesperson
One of the most revealing findings in the YouGov report: influencer trust now outranks traditional advertising in shaping Saudi buying decisions.
The shift is as social as it is strategic.
Younger consumers want proof, not promises – and they find it through people they follow, not billboards they pass.
Saudi influencers like Noor Stars, The Foodies, and Hala Abdallah are driving entire product categories, not with polished scripts but with lived experience.
They humanize brands, localize global campaigns, and speak to a generation that no longer sees consumption as status – but as self-expression.
For brands, this means the future of persuasion lies in collaboration, not control.
Digital-First, Regionally Relevant
While consumer behavior evolves, the winning industries are those embracing digital-first engagement: tech, telecom, e-commerce, and financial services dominate the top ranks for persuasion.
But digital fluency isn’t enough.
Success now depends on regional relevance – platforms and services that integrate Arabic UX design, localized AI recommendations, and payment options that suit cultural and behavioral norms.
Saudi Arabia’s e-commerce spend alone is expected to exceed SAR 84 billion ($22 billion) by 2026, and the fastest-growing segment isn’t luxury – it’s mid-market convenience.
What This Means for Retail Across the GCC
For shoppers: more personalized products, locally tuned messaging, and digital journeys that feel distinctly regional.
For brands: a clear mandate to pivot from visibility to relatability.
In the Gulf, loyalty is no longer transactional. It’s emotional.
Consumers don’t just buy from brands that perform – they buy from brands that understand.
And for international players? The lesson is sharper.
You can’t win the GCC by copy-pasting a Western model.
You win by embedding cultural intelligence – by hiring local teams, speaking local languages, and co-creating campaigns that resonate across values, not time zones.
The Power of Pride
Behind this retail resurgence is something intangible but unmistakable – national pride.
Every local purchase is also a vote for progress, a show of confidence in Saudi creativity and capability.
The post-oil generation isn’t just consuming differently; it’s consuming consciously – with identity at the center.
As one Riyadh-based brand strategist put it, “In Saudi today, every purchase tells a story – of who we are, and where we’re going.”
The Big Picture
Saudi Arabia’s most persuasive brands aren’t louder – they’re truer.
They’re local, digital, and emotionally fluent – and their playbook is rewriting how the region defines brand power.
The funnel starts not with awareness, but alignment.
Not with reach, but relevance.
Because in a world where global is everywhere, local is what feels rare.
Conclusion
The rise of homegrown Saudi brands isn’t a passing retail trend – it’s the start of a cultural realignment.
One where trust outweighs fame, and pride outperforms price.
The message for brands – regional or global – couldn’t be clearer:
Stop selling presence.
Start building connection.
Because when six out of ten shoppers choose identity over image, it’s not just the market that’s changing.
It’s the meaning of the purchase itself
