Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Enterprises

The share of retailers who reported a decline in sales over the Christmas period has dropped below 50 percent for the first time in the last few years, according to a survey by the Institute of the Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Enterprises (INEMY-ESEE).

Retailers appear to have relatively high expectations for the winter sales, which start on Monday, January 8, and will last for more than seven weeks through February 28. The optimism stems from the rather positive picture of the festive period.

Retail commerce turnover will improve this month by just 60 million euros compared to December 2016, according to estimates by the Institute of Commerce and Services of the Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Enterprises (INEMY ESEE), as the average increase in the Christmas period came to just 2.5 percent.

Small and medium-sized enterprises look set this year to claim their slice of the Black Friday sales pie. The recent addition to the local retail calendar - which traditionally takes place the day after the US Thanksgiving holiday - is this year scheduled for November 24.

Smugglers are employing new techniques to deceive the authorities. Financial Crimes Squad Special Secretary Stavros Thomadakis revealed on Friday, for example, that counterfeit shoes arrive in Greece without any brand logos, as the latter arrive separately.

Almost three in every 10 stores in the Athens city center remain closed, and on certain streets that used to brim with life, such as Harilaou Trikoupi, shuttered shops approach 50 percent, according to a new survey conducted by the Institute of Commerce and Services of the Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Enterprises (INEMY ESEE).

The amount of shuttered storefronts as a percentage of all shops in central Athens has crept up, reversing the trend of the first half of the year, according to data released by the Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Enterprises (ESEE).

In September empty stores amounted to 28.1 percent of the total across the country, with the rate in Athens coming to 26.4 percent.

 ESEE counts daily toll of government failure to agree with its creditors at 59 shops closing and 613 jobs lost

By Dimitra Manifava