Oman’s consumer market experienced significant shifts in 2024, particularly in the beverage and snack sectors, reflecting changes in import patterns and local production amid evolving regional dynamics and consumer preferences. Trade data indicate a marked increase in imports of sweetened and flavored beverages, with Saudi Arabia emerging as the dominant supplier, while domestic manufacturers faced mixed outcomes.

According to import figures from the United Nations Comtrade database accessed through the World Bank’s World Integrated Trade Solution, Oman’s imports under the category covering waters—including mineral and aerated waters with added sugar or flavoring—more than doubled in value from $33.91 million in 2023 to $72.15 million in 2024. Saudi Arabia’s share of these imports surged six-fold, rising from $6 million to nearly $40 million, accounting for roughly 88 percent of the total increase. This expansion points to a significant rise in regional beverage supply, though the data do not specify which brands contributed most to the growth or the underlying consumer motivations.

Domestically, Oman Refreshment Company, the local franchise holder for PepsiCo products and distributor of Frito-Lay snacks, reported a steep decline during the same period. Its 2024 revenue fell by 34.5 percent to RO 63.37 million from RO 96.7 million a year earlier, and the company shifted from a net profit of RO 6.3 million in 2023 to a loss of RO 2.77 million. The company attributed this downturn largely to geopolitical tensions in the region, intensified competition, shifting consumer habits, and the increased availability of imported products. Volume sales within Oman dropped by 38.4 percent overall, with carbonated soft drinks declining nearly 46 percent and food product volumes falling 46.35 percent. Export volumes, in contrast, remained largely stable.

The impact on the broader snack market varied. Data from Euromonitor International show that over the five-year period from 2021 to 2026, Ali Shaihani Group of Industries, an Omani producer of popular savory snacks such as Chips Oman and Sohar Chips, expanded its market share from 16 percent to 25 percent. During this time, PepsiCo’s share decreased from 41 percent to 20 percent. While it is not possible to isolate how much of this shift occurred post-2023, the trend highlights a longer-term competitive realignment within the snack category.

In contrast, National Detergent Company, a local manufacturer of household products including well-known brands Bahar and No 1, demonstrated a different pattern. The company posted a 15.8 percent revenue increase in 2024, alongside a doubling of net profit compared to 2023. However, despite maintaining market share against multinational competitors, it experienced a decline in profitability in 2025 due to rising input and marketing expenses and recorded a net loss in the first half of 2026 amid continued competitive pressures.

Taken together, these data suggest that consumer preference changes in Oman have led to a nuanced and uneven redistribution of market share and economic value across beverage, snack, and detergent sectors. While imports of sweetened drinks, particularly from Saudi Arabia, expanded sharply, local producers in snacks and detergents saw both gains and setbacks. The evidence indicates that shifts in brand preference are influenced not only by product origin but also by the extent of domestic production, distribution networks, and the ability of local companies to sustain market share and profitability amid increased competition.

Experts caution against attributing these market trends solely to boycott campaigns initiated in late 2023, noting that factors such as pricing strategies, product availability, retailer decisions, and evolving consumer tastes also play critical roles. As Oman’s market continues to adjust, the focus for industry observers is less on which international brands lose ground, and more on which local businesses can capitalize on changing consumer behaviors to establish lasting economic footholds within the country.