Riyadh Trade Exhibition Recap (Dec 22–24, 2025): What Middle East Buyers Are Really Looking For

From December 22 to December 24, 2025, we participated in a trade exhibition held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, focused on consumer products, gifts, and lifestyle categories.
Rather than treating this as a simple brand showcase, we used the event to observe buyer behavior, understand sourcing priorities, and identify real demand trends in the Middle East retail market.

This article summarizes what we saw, what buyers asked, and why customizable creative lamps are emerging as a promising category for supermarkets, gift distributors, and IP-driven retail channels in the region.

Why Riyadh Has Become a Key Sourcing Hub

Riyadh is no longer just a local trade destination. It has become a central meeting point for buyers from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, and surrounding markets. Many of these buyers supply supermarkets, lifestyle stores, gift chains, and mixed retail formats.

What makes Riyadh exhibitions especially valuable is the mindset of buyers:
they are actively searching for new product categories, not just comparing prices within existing ones.

Retailers in the Middle East are expanding beyond basic goods and adding:

• decorative home items

• giftable lifestyle products

• seasonal and promotional merchandise

This shift creates opportunities for suppliers offering products with design value and customization flexibility.

What Buyers Asked First (And What They Didn’t)

One clear pattern emerged during conversations at the exhibition.

Most buyers did not start with price.

Instead, their first questions were:

• “Can this product be customized with our logo?”

• “Can we change the design for Ramadan, Eid, or national events?”

• “Is this suitable for supermarkets or gift stores?”

• “Can you support IP or brand collaborations?”

This reflects a broader trend: buyers want adaptable products, not fixed designs that every competitor can sell.

Why Customizable Creative Lamps Attracted Attention

Among the products displayed, customizable creative lamps, especially foldable decorative models, received consistent interest.

Buyers explained their interest for several practical reasons.

1. Works across multiple retail formats

These lamps can be sold in:

• supermarkets

• gift shops

• home décor stores

• concept stores

• seasonal pop-up displays

For distributors serving different clients, this flexibility reduces risk.

2. Strong gifting relevance

In Middle Eastern culture, gifting is central to:

• Ramadan

• Eid

• weddings

• family gatherings

A decorative lamp with customized artwork is seen as both meaningful and functional, making it easier to sell.

3. High customization potential

Buyers showed strong interest in:

• logo customization

• exclusive artwork

• Arabic calligraphy designs

• licensed or co-branded concepts

Because the lamp structure remains the same, customization can be done without redesigning the product.

Supermarkets Are Expanding Their Product Mix

Another noticeable trend at the Riyadh exhibition was the growing presence of supermarket buyers.

Many supermarkets are now:

• creating seasonal gift zones

• adding lifestyle and décor sections

• introducing impulse-buy items beyond food

Customizable creative lamps fit naturally into these strategies.
They are compact, visually appealing, and easy to position near seasonal or promotional areas.

Growing Interest in IP and Licensed Products

IP-based merchandise continues to perform well in the Middle East.

Buyers discussed interest in:

• animation and entertainment IP

• automotive and lifestyle brands

• regional or culturally inspired themes

Because creative lamps can display almost any graphic or pattern, they provide a low-risk way to test IP collaborations without large inventory commitments.

Why This Category Has Long-Term Potential

From what we observed in Riyadh, this is not a short-term trend.

Retailers are increasingly prioritizing products that:

• stand out visually

• support customization

• work as gifts

• fit both modern and traditional aesthetics

Customizable creative lamps meet these requirements, making them suitable for long-term retail planning rather than one-off promotions.

Final Takeaways from the Riyadh Exhibition

Participating in the Riyadh trade exhibition from December 22–24, 2025 provided valuable insight into how Middle East buyers think and source products.

The key takeaway is simple:
buyers are no longer only comparing prices — they are looking for flexibility, differentiation, and design-driven products.

For suppliers and retailers alike, customizable lifestyle products are becoming a core part of modern retail sourcing in the Middle East.