Saudis splurge on gold and luxury items ahead of hefty VAT hikes

Saudis splurge on gold and luxury items ahead of hefty VAT hikes

Saudi shoppers rushed to buy big-ticket items such as gold, appliances and electronics ahead of the announced tripling of taxes on basic goods as the government tries to shore up revenue for its economy battered by coronavirus and low oil prices.

The government is tripling the Value Added Tax, or VAT, on basic goods and services from 5% to 15%, starting on Wednesday.

It comes as the Saudi economy is now forecast to contract by 6.8% this year, according to the latest projections by the International Monetary Fund.

To beat the surge in taxes, Saudis have filled shopping centres, supermarkets and some car dealerships in recent days as stores opened up again following weeks of lockdowns and restrictions due to the virus.

Saudis buy jewels at the gold market (Amr Nabil/AP)
Saudis buy jewels at the gold market (Amr Nabil/AP)

On Tuesday, the kingdom said 50 died of Covid-19, to reach a total of 1,649 deaths among more than 190,000 confirmed cases so far.

Still, consumer spending in May amid a partial easing of restrictions was down nearly 16% compared to the previous year, according to Jadwa Investment.

The Saudi economy contracted by 1% in the first quarter of 2020.

Virus Outbreak Saudi Arabia
Jewels at the gold market (Amr Nabil/AP)

Saudi authorities have said the hajj, which starts at the end of July this year, will be “very limited” and could include as few as 1,000 pilgrims from among existing residents of the kingdom due to concerns over the spread of the virus in large crowds.

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