Supermarket

Consumers look out for offers at supermarkets to cut costs, resulting in average savings of 11.7 percent on their purchases, which translates into a total benefit of 680 million euros or 160 euros per household every year, according to a survey conducted and published by the Research Institute of Retail Consumer Goods (IELKA).

Turnover in Greek wholesale commerce recorded a rise for a second consecutive quarter in the period from July to September, Hellenic Statistical Authority data showed on Wednesday.

The online commerce sector is growing and maturing in Greece, especially in the business-to-consumer section. Consumers using the Internet for their purchases are on the rise and companies investing in online sales are being rewarded by buyers, the annual survey of the Electronic Trade Laboratory of the University of Athens (ELTRUN) has found.

By Dimitra Manifava

Food retail in Greece is starting to show the first signs of recovery this year, as turnover data for the sector’s chains indicate that the slowdown in the decline of sales volume, which started last fall, continued into the first quarter of 2014.

The AB Vassilopoulos supermarket chain on Thursday announced that it was removing a corn wafer product trading under the name AB BIO, with an expiry date of 27/01/2015, from its shelves after tests on samples revealed high traces of vomitoxin, also known as deoxynivalenol, or DON.

Supermarket shoppers donated some 120 tons of food during March as part of the program being run by Skai TV and Radio with several stores which is aimed at helping needy citizens.

This takes the total raised by the “All Together, We Can” scheme to 3.1 million tons since it was launched on December 19, 2011.

By Dimitra Manifava

Supermarket chains in Greece fear that the worst is yet to come for the sector, expecting the price war to escalate to such an extent in the next few months that some will be forced to shut down completely or be bought out cheaply by their competitors.

Associations representing bakers, pharmacies, booksellers and milk producers have expressed angry opposition to a new austerity bill in Greece, a proposed overhaul of trading rules they fear will wipe out independent stores.

Pharmacists launched a new 24-hour strike on Monday to protest liberalization measures they feel threaten their livelihood and profession.

Pharmacies around the country were shut, following a 48-hour strike last week, as their owners feel the government’s proposals will allow large chains to dominate the market at the expense of independent stores.