Outlets shall be open tomorrow, Sunday, as a part of the summer season gross sales, and retailers are attempting to draw as many customers as potential, amid excessive temperatures and summer season holidays, with vital worth reductions.

Shops have the choice to -optionally- keep open tomorrow, as it’s the first Sunday after the gross sales begin, maintaining urged opening hours that are 11:00 a.m. to six:00 p.m. for outlets and 11:00 a.m. to eight:00 p.m. for mallsmassive shops and buying facilities.

In response to estimates, the aim of the retail commerce for this summer season is for the entire turnover of July and August to maneuver above final 12 months’s threshold of seven billion euros, whereas the aim of the Ministry of Improvement is, usually, the orderly operation of the market and the safety of shopper. That’s the reason the order has already been given to accentuate controls and because the accountable minister, Takis Theodorikakos, has said:

“The knowledgeable shopper has energy. He can evaluate costs and purchase merchandise the place he likes. That is the one method competitors works and we handle to maintain costs down… and I need everybody to know that deceptive reductions clearly can’t be accepted. There’s digital management via a platform that works in collaboration with the E.U. for merchandise out there via e-shops, but in addition DIMEA’s checks in nowadays and weeks, which shall be intensified. And the fines in these circumstances are very heavy and attain 3 million euros in circumstances of recurrence”.

Extra typically, nevertheless, the political management of the Ministry of Improvement, within the context of fixing the productive mannequin of our financial system, attaches nice significance to the right functioning of competitors.

It’s famous that Mr. Theodorikakos, relating to the problems of the market and costs, has identified that “the Ministry of Improvement is principally associated to coping with the inflation of meals and primary residing gadgets. Power costs, that are a really critical a part of the price of residing, don’t belong to the Ministry of Improvement, the costs of ship tickets don’t belong to the Ministry of Improvement, as do one other collection of points – usually, growing the disposable earnings of residents is a matter general coverage”. On this context, the Ministry of Improvement strengthens the operation of the 2 unbiased authorities it supervises. The Competitors Fee and the Shopper Advocate, whereas the purpose is to strengthen the function of shopper organizations available in the market.

It’s recalled that it’s a perennial problem to manage the right functioning of the markets in order that situations of an oligopolistic construction should not created and within the present state of affairs inflation places this problem again on the desk so the Ministry of Improvement asks the Competitors Fee to extend its presence available in the market and speed up her judgments.

It’s famous that based on the info from the newest GSEVEE report, 9 out of 10 small and really small companies consider that within the Greek financial system there are oligopolies that management a big a part of the market and form costs. Moreover, greater than 8 out of 10 small and micro-enterprises consider that insurance policies so far don’t contribute to selling wholesome competitors and avoiding unfair oligopolistic practices.

The brand new habits of Greek customers

Within the meantime, inflationary traits have affected the habits of customers to economize and improve their earnings, as proven by a survey carried out by the Shopper Items Retail Analysis Institute (IELKA) within the week of June 23-29, 2024 with a pattern of 1,000 customers.
Specifically, there have been vital modifications just lately in consumption habits in numerous behavioral areas, that are largely attributed to the appreciation of services. To start with, there’s a clear tendency of customers to economize for the acquisition of primary items and providers and secondarily for cash administration. There’s extra strain to cut back spending on primary providers and fewer on primary items.

Specifically, 71% (towards 75% in 2023) of the general public declare that they’ve canceled leisure bills resembling catering, holidays, journeys, and many others. 55% (vs. 54% in 2023) say they’ve reduce on meals and grocery buying general. 49% (vs. 48% in 2023) of the general public say they’ve postponed upkeep and restore work, e.g. at residence or within the automotive. 42% (versus 49% in 2024) state that they’ve modified product manufacturers. 27% state that they’ve used cash from their financial savings to be able to cowl their purchases. 27% (towards 32% in 2024) have postponed paying payments or stopped paying their obligations. 16% (versus 17% in 2024) state that they’ve elevated their working time or discovered a second job to be able to improve their earnings. Simply 3% of the general public say they’ve taken no motion in any respect to deal with inflationary pressures.

Concerning the elements influencing customers within the final 4 years in relation to the selection of meals, financial expenditure stays the principle criterion (57%), however particularly within the newest measurements the depth is reducing (from 69% in 2023). Additionally, high quality is the principle criterion for 27% of customers, however that is up from 16% in 2023.