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Qualitative Analysis

Qualitative Analysis

General Economics And Demographic Landscape

Economy:

  • The economy of Kuwait is expected to improve slightly in 2020, recording a modest increase in line with an increase in the OPEC production cap. An improvement in the oil industry is also feeding into the non-oil sector.
  • The real value of private consumption witnessed an increase of 5.2% in 2019, with a growth of 5.2% expected in 2020. The low level of unemployment and a delay in the introduction of the VAT are expected to support consumer spending.
  • Real GDP growth was recorded at 1.1% in 2019, with a gain of 2.0% expected in 2020. Growth of real GDP is expected to edge upward, reaching 2.6% in 2021 and reaching about 2.9% per year by 2027.
     

 Population demographics:

  • The population of Kuwait has been increasing at a steady pace, reaching 4.4 million in 2019. This indicator is expected to increase to 5.1 million by 2030.
  • Fertility has witnessed a decline for several decades. In 2019, fertility recorded 2.1 births per female – equivalent to the replacement level (the fertility rate where the population replaces itself from one generation to the next). One factor offsetting this slow down is a substantial increase in the number of women of childbearing age (15-49 years).
  • The median age in 2019 was recorded at 36.8 years, higher than the regional average. This indicator is expected to drop to 35.9 years by 2030.
     

Income & expenditure:

  • The savings ratio in Kuwait was recorded at 17.1% of disposable income in 2018. This ratio is not expected to change in 2020.
  • Consumer expenditure per capita in 2019 was recorded at US$11,455, with an increase of 4.7% expected in real terms in 2020. Miscellaneous goods and services are expected to register the highest consumer expenditure for the period 2020-2030.
  • Real disposable income per capita was recorded at US$18,259 in 2019, with the indicator expected to increase by 4.8% in 2020. For the period 2020-2030, total disposable income is expected to increase by a cumulative value of 29.8% in real terms, averaging an annual rate of 2.6%.
Data

Data

Organic Packaged Food And Beverage Data

Data type

Unit

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

CAGR
(16-19)

CAGR
(20-22)

Health & wellness products consumption

USD million

708.8

752.0

796.5

833.9

858.4

897.9

922.6

5.6%

3.7%

Organic packaged food and beverages consumption

USD million

6.1

15.9

21.9

25.3

28.5

33.0

36.9

60.7%

13.8%

Organic packaged food consumption

USD million

0.2

0.5

3.6

3.9

4.1

4.2

4.4

169.2%

3.6%

Organic beverages consumption

USD million

5.8

15.4

18.3

21.4

24.4

28.8

32.5

54.5%

15.4%

Organic packaged food and beverages consumption as a % of total health & wellness products consumption

%

0.9%

2.1%

2.7%

3.0%

3.3%

3.7%

4.0%

-

-

Economic And Demographic Data

Data type

Unit

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

Total population

million

3.9

4.1

4.2

4.4

4.5

4.6

4.7

% Middle and upper class of total population

%

27.9

27.7

27.6

27.5

27.4

27.3

27.3

% Population aged 65+

%

2.3%

2.4%

2.6%

2.8%

3.1%

3.5%

3.9%

% Population aged 0-14

%

21.3%

21.4%

21.6%

21.8%

21.9%

21.7%

21.3%

% Population with higher education degrees

%

12.0

12.0

12.0

12.0

12.0

12.0

12.0

Average number of children per household

children

1.3

1.3

1.3

1.3

1.3

1.3

1.3

GDP per capita

USD per capita

27,735.5

29,535.3

33,097.1

30,346.0

30,095.6

30,339.5

30,721.7

Consumer expenditure per capita (US$)

USD per capita

9,661.4

10,633.9

11,050.3

11,454.5

11,996.4

11,917.2

11,810.8

Consumer expenditure per capita on food and non-alcoholic beverages (US$)

USD per capita

1,852.3

2,041.0

2,123.5

2,202.8

2,308.2

2,294.8

2,274.1

Retailer And City Data

Top 5 Cities By Population

Data category

Rank

City/retailer

Population
(millions)

Top cities by population (2019)

1

Kuwait City

2.8

Top 5 Grocery Retailers By Sales

Data category

Rank

City/retailer

Top grocery retailers by sales (2019)

1

Union of Consumer Cooperative Societies

Top grocery retailers by sales (2019)

2

Sultan Center Food Products Co, The

Top grocery retailers by sales (2019)

3

Carrefour SA

Top grocery retailers by sales (2019)

4

Lulu Group International LLC

Top grocery retailers by sales (2019)

5

Soor Fuel Marketing Co (SAK)

United States Department Of Agriculture Global Agricultural Trade System Data

Top 5 Export Commodities To Kuwait

Year

Country

Rank of
Product/Commodity

Product/Commodity

Export Value (US$)

2019

Kuwait

1

Organic Lettuce Not Head Fr/Ch

1,146,078

2019

Kuwait

2

Organic Vinegar and Substitutes

138,004

2019

Kuwait

3

Organic Tomato Sauce Ex Ketchp

54,747

2019

Kuwait

4

Organic Fruit Prep

38,598

2019

Kuwait

5

Organic Head Lettuce Fr/Ch

26,611

2019

Kuwait

Total

Total Organics*

1,442,561

2018

Kuwait

1

Organic Lettuce Not Head Fr/Ch

1,847,121

2018

Kuwait

2

Organic Peppers Fr/Ch

80,704

2018

Kuwait

3

Organic Berries Fresh

53,940

2018

Kuwait

4

Organic Head Lettuce Fr/Ch

50,919

2018

Kuwait

5

Organic Strawberries Fresh

31,400

2018

Kuwait

Total

Total Organics*

2,109,030

2017

Kuwait

1

Organic Lettuce Not Head Fr/Ch

1,201,192

2017

Kuwait

2

Organic Tomato Sauce Ex Ketchp

355,015

2017

Kuwait

3

Organic Berries Fresh

73,345

2017

Kuwait

4

Organic Peppers Fr/Ch

70,000

2017

Kuwait

5

Organic Head Lettuce Fr/Ch

41,940

2017

Kuwait

Total

Total Organics*

1,775,852

2016

Kuwait

1

Organic Lettuce Not Head Fr/Ch

1,668,456

2016

Kuwait

2

Organic Tomato Sauce Ex Ketchp

162,659

2016

Kuwait

3

Organic Coffee Roast Not Decaf

88,339

2016

Kuwait

4

Organic Carrots Fr/Ch

39,880

2016

Kuwait

5

Organic Asparagus Fr/Ch

6,120

2016

Kuwait

Total

Total Organics*

1,965,454


Note : Total organics is the sum of all exports in a particular year  
Definitions

Definitions

Term

Definition

Health and Wellness

Health and wellness is the aggregation of organic packaged food and beverages, fortified/functional packaged food and beverages, naturally healthy packaged food and beverages, better for you packaged food and beverages and food intolerance products.

Organic packaged foods and beverages

This category includes packaged food & beverages that are certified organic by an approved certification body. Organic production is based on:

• A system of farming that maintains and replenishes soil fertility without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers.
• Organic food & beverages are minimally processed without artificial ingredients, preservatives or irradiation.
• The use of GMOs (Genetically Modified Organism) is prohibited. “Certified Organic” means the item has been grown according to strict uniform standards that are verified by independent state or private organizations.
• Depending on the country, such products are called ‘organic’, ‘biological’ or ‘ecological’: For organic products to be included under Euromonitor definitions, the organic aspect needs to form part of positioning/marketing of the product. This is an aggregation of organic baby food, bakery, confectionery, dairy, ice cream, oils and fats, ready meals, rice, sauces, dressings and condiments, snack bars, soups, spreads, sweet and savory snacks and other organic food.

Note that fresh food products or individual ingredients are not included in this definition.

Compound annual growth rate (CAGR)

The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is the average annual growth rate over a specified period of time. For instance, the CAGR consumption of from 2018 – 2021 will be the average growth rates across these three years.

USDA GATS data clarification

The data presented in table 2.4 represents the dollar values of the top 5 organic commodities as well as of the total organic exports of the trade partner for the period 2018-2021 as per the United States Department of Agriculture’s Global Agricultural Trade System, a database consisting of international agricultural, fish, forest and textile products trade statistics dating from the inception of the Harmonized coding system in 1989 to present.

Policy Information

Policy Information

Government Agency(s) / Competent Authority

Authorized Government Agency(s):

Kuwait is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) that includes Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia. Gulf Standards Organization (GSO) is responsible for developing food and non food standards in the GCC. Once a new standard is approved by the GSO food standards committee, each member country officially adopts the standard, thus making it a national standard as well as a GSO standard. 

The Department of Standards and Metrology, Public Authority for Industry (PAI), in cooperation with the Kuwait Municipality (KUM), the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI), the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAFR), the Consumer Protection of the Ministry of Commerce, Customs, Chamber of Commerce and the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) constitute the “National Food Safety Committee” which is responsible for establishing local food safety regulations. 

Regulatory enforcement is divided between the KUM, MOPH and PAAFR. 

The Imported Food Department within KUM has responsibility for the initial inspection of imported food products, including verification of compliance with label requirements and collection of samples for laboratory analysis. 

Agency(s) Contact Information:

GCC Standardization Organization (GSO)
Riyadh - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
AlGadeer - Olaya Street
P.O.Box 85245 Riyadh 11691
Phone: (+96611) 2746655
Fax: (+96611) 2105391
Email: csc@gso.org.sa
Website

Public Authority for Industry (PAI)
PAI Reception
Phone: (+965) 25302222
Fax: (+965) 25302190
Email: indust@pai.gov.kw
Website

Kuwait Municipality
Website

Organic Regulations and/or Standards

Name(s) of Regulation and/or Standard:

GSO 2374:2014 Guidelines for the Production, Processing, Labelling and Marketing of Organically Produced Foods

Regulation and/or Standard Scope:

The standard applies to unprocessed plants and plant products, livestock and livestock products, and processed agricultural crop and livestock products intended for human consumption. A product will be regarded as bearing indications referring to organic production methods where, in the labelling or claims, including advertising material or commercial documents, the product, or its ingredients, is described by the terms “organic”, “biodynamic”, “biological”, “ecological”, or words of similar intent including diminutives which, in the country where the product is placed on the market, suggests to the purchaser that the product or its ingredients were obtained according to organic production methods.

Imported Products

All food products must be accompanied by a health certificate issued by the appropriate government agency in the country of origin, attesting to the product's fitness for human consumption. Meat and poultry products must be Halal slaughtered. Halal slaughter certificates accompanying meat and poultry shipments are required to be notarized by the Kuwaiti Embassy in the country of origin. If not available, notarization from any of GCC or other Arab countries will suffice. Animal fat should be sourced only from Halal slaughtered animals. The importation of alcoholic beverages and pork, and food products containing alcohol or pork, is prohibited.

GCC Guide for Control on Imported Foods is useful for all food imports.

Additional Information

USDA GAIN Report Exporter Guide Annual Report for the United Arab Emirates (2015)

USDA GAIN Report United Arab Emirates Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards - Narrative (2014)

USDA GAIN Report Kuwait Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards - Certification (2013)

USDA GAIN Report Kuwait Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards - Narrative (2012) 

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How to use this website

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) brings the US organic industry to developing markets around the world. This database is a comprehensive tool for OTA membership interested in participating in or expanding international trade in organic products by providing information to understand international markets for organic products. Select the country you wish to export to and find out whether it has an agreement with the United States, who its certifiers are, and much more.

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