Consumers in Greece are concerned about potential price hikes in some 4,000 basic goods after a government measure to keep prices down is lifted on May 31st.
According to OT, starting on June 1 buyers may be faced with the rising cost of dozens of products at supermarkets.
In efforts to counter the impact of inflation on food items and to support low-income families, the government launched a measure last year and extended it earlier this year which kept the price of basic products down by up to 5%.
According to OT sources, this measure has been replaced with a 15% reduction in prices and a cap on discounts under a new policy. Consumer experts however are noting that as of June 1, prices will return to initial levels, which means that the price of dozens of products may increase by up to 10%.
According to Eurostat, Greece has among the highest prices of basic goods in the EU.
Meanwhile, ELSTAT data for April reveals that the biggest increases in food products year on year in Greece were recorded for olive oil (+63.7%), fruit (+11.6%), fish (+10.6%), and rice (+8.5%).
