RIYADH: The total number of point-of-sale transactions in Saudi Arabia fell in April by 71 million compared to March, according to data collected by Arab News from a recent monthly report from the Saudi Central Bank, also known as SAMA. The restaurants and cafes sector accounted for the bulk of the decline in activity, with a decrease of 61.2 million transactions during Ramadan which took place in April this year. Food and beverage transactions followed suit with a decrease of 11.2 million. At the same time, consumer activity increased in purchasing of clothing and footwear as well as jewelry, with the numbers of transactions in these two goods groups having risen by 14.1 million and 611,000, respectively. According to this month’s data, dining out during Ramadan plummeted largely due to the fact that people tend to break their fasts in their homes, or in the homes of their loved ones during this holy month. Still, most of the Kingdom’s transactions were directed toward food and beverages, restaurants and cafes and miscellaneous goods and services covering 24.1, 21.5 and 11.8 percent of total transactions respectively. The total value of sales in April stood at SR49.4 billion showing a decrease of 3 percent month-on-month. The majority of Saudi consumer spending was on food and beverages, which was 14.4 percent of total sales, followed by clothing and footwear, miscellaneous goods and services and restaurants and cafes.