Greek supermarkets: Changing product signs

The Ministry of Development is introducing high fines as well as changes in price marking in supermarkets with the aim of combating price gouging.

At the same time, the “household basket” is being enriched with new products as food inflation is still at high levels.

The Ministry of Development is giving supermarkets a month to change the labels on all their products, in order to make the price per kilo or liter clearer to consumers. The measure concerns businesses of all sizes, even retail chains located on islands and villages.

With the advent of the adjustment margin, fines will be imposed in case of non-compliance, while small chains will be given more time to adjust.

With this new, mandatory measure, the price will be displayed in a larger font and in bold.

“The one month is given as an adjustment period, then fines will be imposed for those who have not implemented this decision of ours” noted yesterday the Minister of Development and Investments, Adonis Georgiadis regarding market issues (household basket, controls, profiteering, etc.) .

In this way, “each consumer will be able to check for each product whether or not the unit price has increased. Thus, the content in the package becomes an indifferent size, since the consumer will easily monitor the unit price and know whether the product has increased or not”, he emphasized.

It is noted that the ministerial decision was signed, which stipulates that the price per unit on the signs on the supermarket shelves will be compulsorily written in much larger characters, so that it is possible to compare the prices.

The measure is mandatory for all supermarket chains, regardless of turnover.

The household basket

Fresh beef, white cheese, highly pasteurized milk (regular and low-fat) as well as long-life and chocolates are added to the existing product categories.

Also, the cold cuts category is divided into two and there must be at least one bologna-like product and one turkey product in the basket. Accordingly, the fresh chicken category is divided into two sub-categories, whole fresh chicken and fresh chicken parts.

The category of legumes is “broken” into three and from now on the basket should include three different types: chickpeas, lentils, beans.

Also, from next Wednesday, February 22, the Lenten basket will be available to consumers, valid until Easter. This basket will include, apart from the 60 products, also halva, fasting salads (ointments) and frozen seafood, with a minimum of two items.