2022 ‘gnaws’ the Covid sales of Greek supermarkets

Of George Lampiris

Greek supermarkets continue their declining sales, according to the latest NielsenIQ measurement data available to the Capital.gr and relate to the period from 1 to 20 February of this year.

This practically means that sales in value in the country’s organized retail were lower by 11.9 million euros – sales 528.7 million compared to 540.6 million in 2021 – which translates into a percentage reduction of 2.2 %.

The route was similar for the Greek supermarkets during January, when sales were reduced by 3.4% compared to January 2021. It should be noted, however, that 2021 was a year marked by an increase in sales for supermarkets – at least in the first months – as this was a period of restrictive market measures, so consumers turned to their supermarket purchases.

The strong upward trends were preceded by the pandemic

It should be noted that the signs of declining sales in supermarkets could be characterized as signs of balancing consumer demand, as organized retail in Greece was strongly favored by the pandemic. It will be recalled that Nielsen data for 2020, the first year of Covid-19 disease, showed that all supermarkets increased their sales by 9.7% compared to 2019, while for 2021 it increased even more its sales compared to 2020 by 1.3%.

The bazaar products lost ground

It is interesting that one category that recorded a strong increase in 2021, that of bazaar products with + 14.9%, which includes clothing and footwear, electrical and electronic appliances, home appliances and garden products, in the period under review in February ( 1 to 20) lost sales by 2.8%.

It should be noted that this category was an alternative consumption channel, to which several Greeks resorted during the time when the other retail stores were closed, in order to make purchases.

All fast-moving consumer goods declined – with the exception of fresh-weighted food

It should be noted that all the main categories of consumer goods available through the supermarket stores fell in terms of sales value recorded in the period 1 to 20 February compared to the same period last year.

In particular, personal care and hygiene products lost sales at levels of -3.1% as from 36.14 million euros fell to 35.02 million euros. Household cleaning products fell from 49.11 million euros to 46.69 million euros (-4.9%) and food and beverages, which are the largest in terms of sales value of the main categories of fast-moving consumer goods, lost and It sold 3.1% of the 293.97 million euros in the first twenty days of February 2021, to 284.99 million euros in the corresponding twenty days of the same month.

An exception is the sub-category of fresh food by weight, which strengthened its dynamics with an increase in sales by 1.1% from 123.9 million euros to 134.3 million euros.

Examining the total value of fast-moving consumer goods, which includes the three main categories mentioned above from 379.22 million euros, it recorded sales in the first three weeks of February this year, which were 366.71 million euros, which is interpreted in percentage terms. fall 3.3%.

The serious issues that concern the Greek supermarkets

At the same time, Greek supermarkets are called upon to deal with factors such as high energy costs, as is the case for the entire domestic industry but also for Greek households.

Another serious factor is the strong inflationary pressures and increases in consumer goods. We remind you that the latest data of ELSTAT showed an increase in the consumer price index for January 2022 by 6.2% compared to January 2021, while according to information the relevant index for February, which will be announced on March 10, will probably exceed 7%.

It should be noted that in January, the category of food products and alcoholic beverages increased by 5.2%, mainly due to the increase in prices for flour, bread, bakery and confectionery products, pasta, beef, lamb and goat, poultry and other preparations based on meat, edible oils, olive oil, yogurt, fresh fruits and vegetables.

In the frame shortages in flour

At the same time, the possibility of shortages in certain consumer goods is visible, as noted in Capital.gr Supermarket executives, given the course of the war in Ukraine.

The main candidate for the emergence of shortages is that of flour, since about 30% of wheat imports to our country come from these two countries, Russia and Ukraine and now the supply landscape and rising prices are a serious deterrent. in their uninterrupted power supply.