Cyprus Consumers Association finds groceries cost up to 226% more

A September 30 survey conducted by the Cyprus Consumers Association using the government’s e-kalathi platform revealed that identical groceries cost up to 226% more at certain stores across Cyprus, while fruit and vegetables at the farmers’ market averaged 26% cheaper, according to Kathimerini.

Supermarket Price Spreads on Routine Goods

The association checked prices on September 30 across every participating supermarket using the government-backed e-kalathi platform, according to Kathimerini. Out of the surveyed items, 54 products—representing 11.3% of the sample—showed price spreads between 100% and 226% from one store to another. Variation remained high across the rest of the list. Nearly half of the products differed by 50% to 99% in price, while 27.3% of products showed differences ranging from 30% to 49%.

Cypriot products tended to display narrower price differences across different chains. Other parts of the typical shopping basket swung much more significantly depending on the retailer chosen by the household.

Farmers’ Market Produce Pricing

A separate comparison examined fresh produce near the GSP stadium. Fruit and vegetables at the farmers’ market averaged 26% cheaper than the supermarket prices posted on the Agriculture Ministry’s e-kofini platform.

The association noted that the e-kalathi figures provided little evidence of intense price competition among most of the participating supermarkets. When a state-backed comparison system still reveals wide gaps without pushing prices downward, it invites scrutiny regarding how well the market serves consumers.

Disputes Over Platform Data and Product Selection

The consumer group challenged the inclusion of products sold in only one store as supposedly widely purchased essentials. Such items do little to help people compare a realistic weekly shop. The association called for a review of the platform’s product list, pointing out that some items appeared in as few as one store while others appeared in up to 40. Authorities were also asked to explain the status of 1,000 additional products previously announced for the service.

Pricing mistakes continued to appear even after being reported to authorities, suggesting that tighter data upkeep is required to make the tracking tool fully reliable for shoppers.