Good Friday today and the shops will operate with special hours.
The shops open after Demobilization on 13:00 at noon and close at 19:00 afternoon.
What hours will the supermarkets be open?
The Super Market they also all open at 1pm but don’t close at the same time.
Based on what they have announced on their pages, they have the following hours:
- Sclavenitis: 13:00 – 20:00
- AB Vassilopoulos: 13.00-20.00
- My Market: 13:00 – 20:00
- Lidl: 13:00 – 21:00
- Masoutis: 13:00 – 19:00
- Cretan: 13:00 – 20:00
What about Holy Saturday?
Consumers have the opportunity for last-minute shopping on Holy Saturday as well.
The shops are open from 09:00 in the morning to 15:00 in the afternoon.
Increased traffic in the Easter market
According to the traders, the purchasing movement is increased while there is a sufficiency of products and price containment for the benefit of the final consumer.
At the same time, traffic is also increasing in supermarkets with consumers making use of the “Household Basket”, the “Lent Basket” and the “Easter Basket” in combination to organize their festive table in time. Specifically, the “Easter Basket” has been put into effect from April 24 to May 4, while the “Lent Basket” remains in effect until May 4. It is noted that the “Easter Basket” is an extension of the “Household Basket”, as four food categories are added, in order to constitute an additional outlet for consumers. The “Easter Basket” includes the following products: Lamb, goat, bun and Easter chocolate eggs and related products.
Consumers also have at their disposal from Monday, April 22, the “Godfather’s Basket” which includes a total of 12 product categories, as follows: Easter candles – toys, table / puzzles, doll toys, dollhouses and other accessories (imitation toys) , baby toys, action figures, building and crafting toys (eg brick toys), vehicles/RC, electronic toys, sports toys (eg balls, basketballs and goals), stuffed animals, musical toys, chocolate eggs and corresponding products (optional).
In the meantime, the e-Consumer platform has also been fully upgraded and is available to internet users. It is a useful and easy-to-use tool for consumers so that everyone can compare prices, create their own basket with the products they want and make their purchases, at the lowest cost, from the supermarket chain that offers them. The platform provides the consumer with the ability to transparently compare prices on -currently- 3,000 basic and fast-moving consumer goods, within a minimum of time. Next, it is possible to find the cheapest basket based on the prices and availability of the products.
Sufficiency of products on the market but also intensification of controls
Full sufficiency in the street markets of Attica, Thessaloniki and throughout the country is recorded according to the president of the Panhellenic Federation of Street Market Producers, Pantelis Moschos, who in his statements to journalists recently mentioned that, due to the recent increases in production costs, there is a price increase on all products. He, however, added: “We expect consumers to come and buy the fresh products they need for the Easter table, which are potatoes, tomatoes, which are lettuce, cabbages and in full supply without any problems. Here we also have something pleasant for consumers. That we are cheaper than supermarkets by at least 30 to 40% and than indoor trade”.
For its part, the Region of Attica is proceeding with intensive checks on the market during the Easter days, in order to protect public health and to deal with the phenomena of profiteering that affect consumers. By order of the Regional Governor Nikos Hardalias to all the competent services, until Easter Monday, May 6, the control mechanisms of the Attica Region will be on their feet, in order to control the orderly and legally prescribed operation of all health shops. “The citizens of Attica will celebrate Easter safely and with respect to the family budget,” said Mr. Hardalias in his statements and added:
“During these holy days, the services of the Region will be in constant mobilization, in order to ensure that the goods that will reach the Easter table will be absolutely safe for the health of consumers, of good quality and at the right price. The tolerance towards the phenomena of profiteering – at a time when the family budget is particularly burdened – counterfeiting and discounts in the quality of the products, will be zero. Any violation will be immediately subject to the penalties provided for by law, without exceptions.”
It is noted that from April 8 until today, the Region’s services have carried out 6,112 checks ahead of Easter. Controls will be extended to all businesses that fall under the jurisdiction of the Region’s mechanisms, such as meat, fruit and vegetable and other food distribution companies, supermarkets, street markets, cheese shops, poultry farms, toy shops, gas stations, leisure businesses etc.
The focus is on the cost of the Easter table
“In the Easter basket, the lamb is sold at prices below 10 euros. Our goal was to enable households to get lamb at affordable prices.” This is what the Minister of Development Kostas Skrekas recently stated in his statements. He emphasized that “our goal was for the consumer to be able to choose whether he wants to get his lamb from his butcher or if someone who wants to get it at a lower price can do it with the Easter basket.”
Asked about the complaints expressed by the producers regarding the low prices at which they sell their products, Mr. Skrekas explained that “producers’ prices were slightly higher than last year and what we wanted was to squeeze the price of the middlemen and finally for the lamb to appear in the supermarket basket at affordable prices”.
Regarding the issue of quality, the minister said “the consumer goes where he trusts. The consumer can choose. Controls are carried out by EFET, by the Ministry of Rural Development throughout the market to prevent the Greekization phenomenon. We control the market and we are not complacent.”
“We announced and published the products included in the basket and saw that they are at the same price or even lower than last Easter. The government’s aim is to de-escalate inflation and reduce precision. We haven’t gone where we want, but we are seeing a de-escalation,” he added.
Focusing on the measures taken by the government, the Minister of Development emphasized that “efforts to de-escalate consist of three efforts: increasing wages, controls and stimulating competition with a digital tool which is the e-Consumer platform”.
In particular, for the e-Consumer digital platform, Mr. Skrekas said: “we enriched it with 3,000 products found in the supermarket. The platform is functional and the consumer can see the prices in different supermarkets. With this tool, we enable the consumer to create his basket before leaving his home, and this also stimulates the competition.”
Regarding the cost of the Easter table, traders estimate that this year it will be 16.3% to 19.3% more expensive than last year. Specifically, the Institute of Trade and Services of the Hellenic Confederation of Trade and Entrepreneurship (IN.EMY.-ESEE) recorded, with on-site pricing and interviews with key-informers of the market, the prices from both supermarket chains and specialized food retail stores (eg patisseries, fruit shops, butchers, etc.), as well as from the Varvakeio market. The cost estimate for this year’s Easter table (6-8 people) ranges from 89.04 to 130.04 euros. In other words, consumers who will make the same purchases as last year from corresponding stores will face a change of 16.3% to 19.3% compared to 2023. It is noted that the price range is justified by the registration of a range of products of different quality, in several local markets and different types of stores. Additionally, it is clarified that the prices of the products surveyed are indicative and attempt to map the general price distribution and market image. In addition, it is underlined that, for the sake of comparability of the data, with the previous annual surveys of INEMY for the estimation of the cost of the Easter table, the prices of the goods included in the “Easter festive basket” as well as in the “household basket” are also included.
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