economy

This was noted by the Minister of Development and Investments, Adonis Georgiadis, at a press conference, underlining that "the feeling that there is a dirty profit is not real. All the indicators show that we are below the European average, so it does not make sense to have a generalized gross profit, because then we would have, above average, imported inflation, so the measures are working".

In addition, the minister announced that a change in the legislation on supermarket labels is being prepared in order to make the information the consumer needs clearer regarding the quantity and price of the products he buys.

In more detail, the minister stated at the start of the press conference on the "Household Basket" and DIMEA controls that "the reason for the interview is not to defend the work done in controlling the market and inflation but for the continuous publications for the great accuracy that comes or for the dirty profit. As a result, such reports create the risk that the consumer public will be led into panic buying and stockpiling of products due to possible increases and this would lead to a large loss of income as the trend is to reduce inflation so they will lose money. Industries are making reductions while the price of electricity is also falling, so if we say the opposite will happen, speculation will be favored. Controls are carried out and companies are punished with fines which are collected. But the feeling that there is a dirty profit is not real. All indicators show that we are below the European average, so it does not mean that we have a generalized gross profit, then we would have above average imported inflation, so the measures are working".

The minister underlined that the household basket keeps prices stable but, in addition, we are headed for a de-escalation of inflation and in two to three weeks the reduction will also be reflected in the basket and noted that a product that enters with a competitive price in the basket, when it leaves , its value returns to its previous level but this is not meant as an increase. Otherwise, when an offer ended and the old price returned to the product, it would be permanently counted as an increase, he noted.

Regarding the entry of more branded products into the basket, the minister said that if he is not sure that the prices will be significantly reduced, i.e. competitive in the basket, he will not proceed with any regulation.

In addition, the minister announced that a change is being planned in the supermarket signs to make the price per kilo clearer, so that he can choose with great ease to his advantage. The minister emphasized that if we need to legislate, we will legislate and reminded that next week, a bill regarding consumer protection is being discussed in the Parliament and if there is an intervention, it will be included in this bill.

For his part, the Secretary General of Trade and Consumer Protection Sotiris Anagnostopoulos said that rumors can lead consumers to make purchases that they had no intention of making otherwise.

He referred to specific price increases as presented in newspaper reports which seem like a generalized picture, while according to ELSTAT's data, it appears that they are isolated.

Regarding the controls, he pointed out that the medium and large stores 

food businesses that affect 95% of our expenses are about 5000 and 35,000 are the total number of food businesses in the country, so the basic control, by DIMEA and the regional control units, is mainly focused on 5,000.

For the change of packaging by the industries it was pointed out that it is not an illegal practice, but the quality of the product contained must be indicated. It is illegal not to state the real information about the product (grams, etc.) on the package, while regarding the discussion of when there is a profit when the package is reduced or the price changes, the general secretary explained that this is defined by the wholesale price he has purchased the business and this is a matter subject to the audits carried out by DIMEA.

It was also noted that what has changed in the checks compared to the past is that there are no longer "field checks", i.e. close to each store, but information is exchanged electronically "from the office" and thus, for the first time, as he underlined, mass and universal checks are carried out. "That's why we know all of the gross profit, noted the minister, as we know what is happening in the entire market."

Regarding the collectability of the fines, it was emphasized that they are now collected in their entirety, as the legislation gives irrefutable advantages to the judicial process.

In addition, it was reported that since the beginning of the inflationary crisis there have been 4000 anti-profiteering audits with fines of more than 3 million euros and the largest fine of more than 600,000 euros imposed on a supermarket was collected in full.

The commander of the Interdepartmental Market Control Unit (DIMEA) Charalambos Melissinos noted that not only the 51 codes of the basket are checked, but at least two competing products are also checked, i.e. more than 150 codes, and in relation to the products in the warehouse and in terms of the quantities.

It is not illegal to change packaging

For the change of packaging by the industries it was pointed out that it is not an illegal practice, but the quality of the product contained must be indicated.

It is illegal not to state the real information about the product (grams, etc.) on the package, while regarding the discussion of when there is a profit when the package is reduced or the price changes, the general secretary explained that this is defined by the wholesale price he has purchased the business and this is a matter subject to the audits carried out by DIMEA.

It was also noted that what has changed in the checks compared to the past is that there are no longer "field checks", i.e. close to each store, but information is exchanged electronically "from the office" and thus, for the first time, as he underlined, mass and universal checks are carried out. "That's why we know all of the gross profit, noted the minister, as we know what is happening in the entire market."

Regarding the collectability of the fines, it was emphasized that they are now collected as the legislation gives indisputable advantages to the judicial process.

At the press conference, Apostolos Raftopoulos, president of the Union of Consumer Workers of Greece, was asked to take a stand, who said that he will not make the information he has about increases in supermarkets public, but will give it to the relevant departments of the ministry.