Online shopping

More than 50% of internet users make online purchases, more than double the percentage of 10 years ago, pointing to the incredible momentum of e-commerce.

The Ministry of Development is considering imposing a limit on promotional actions by retailers through the definition of a maximum percentage of volume and value of a product that will be allowed to be sold under an offer regime, Kathimerini understands.

Companies selling products online single out the commission fees marketplaces charge as the biggest problem they face, a study has found.

Shipping costs, excessive competition and logistics-related problems are other main issues companies complain about, according to a survey the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO) commissioned.

Theft from convenience stores in the U.K. reached record levels last year, according to a trade body, blaming criminal gangs and a cost-of-living crisis.

The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), which represents 48,000 stores, said there were more than 1.1 million incidents in the last 12 months.

The retail of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) in Türkiye grew 99 percent last year compared with 2021, according to research conducted by consumer intelligence company NielsenIQ.

The growing use of plastic money by Greek consumers for transactions in brick-and-mortar stores or e-commerce is strengthening the appetite of certain people for intercepting card details and embezzling larger amounts.

Based on the Cypriot government's timeline, the introduction of e-kalathi, a new digital platform for monitoring retail product prices, is expected to take place around early 2024. The bill has been given the green light by the Council of Ministers and will soon be presented to the Parliament.

Once passed, e-kalathi will be available as a smartphone application for consumers to use.

The share of private-label products reached historic highs in the first two months of 2023, with consumers looking for cheaper solutions due to inflation, while their participation in the Household Basket measure has been considerable.

More and more retailers are increasingly employing the so-called omnichannel strategy, utilizing modern technology means such as voice orders, simulators and chatbots.

Following the withdrawal of the Household Basket proposal in Cyprus, the Consumer Protection Agency is now promoting the preparation of a bill for the provision of a digital tool that will allow for the daily comparison of products' retail prices.