Winter sales in Greece are set to kick off on Monday, Jan. 13, with the sales period, running until Friday, Feb. 28. Trade associations have announced that merchants are welcoming consumers with “strong discounts and unique opportunities.”
According to the president of the Piraeus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Vassilis Korkidis, the winter sales are expected to meet the expectations of both merchants and consumers, despite the financial fatigue from the Christmas holiday season.
Purchasing activity is anticipated to perform better than last year, aiming for retail turnover during Jan. and Feb. 2025 to exceed the 6 billion euros recorded in the same period last year.
Korkidis emphasizes that the goal of increasing sales is achievable, mainly due to a 6.4% rise in private sector wages and a reduction in unemployment to 9%. This marks another indication that the pressures on household budgets in recent times are steadily easing.
“However, this year, we must aim to extend the regular winter sales to more sectors, particularly services, as inflation has shifted significantly from trade to the provision of services,” the president concludes.
Meanwhile, the vice president of the Athens Trade Association and vice president of the Greek E-Commerce Association (GRECA), Makis Savvidis reassures that there is product availability and claims that offered prices, particularly in the clothing and footwear sector, will exceed all expectations during this year’s winter sales.
Savvidis explains that Greek consumers made more purchases during the holiday season compared to last year, but of lower value. This year, they opted for more affordable gifts, as they spend the majority of their income (over 50%) on covering basic necessities.
Focusing on the overall market landscape, he notes that the Greek market is now operating at two speeds. On one hand, small and medium-sized businesses are facing serious challenges and continuously losing revenue, while on the other hand, large multinational corporations are capturing an increasingly significant share of the commercial sector’s turnover.
Priorities for 2025 include price stabilization, strengthening healthy competition, consumer awareness, market supervision, and positive collaboration between the private and public sectors.
Meanwhile, regarding market oversight, the Ministry of Development emphasizes that strict inspections are ongoing across the entire market, supported by new digital tools.
