By Giorgos Lampiris
The picture of this year’s sales in the shops was mixed, according to industry executives we contacted, since the picture in the tourist areas such as the center of Athens or the southern suburbs was more positive compared to the periphery, but also the urban centers of the country.
This particular development is confirmed in Capital.gr and the president of the Athens Chamber of Commerce, Stavros Kafounis, with whom we contacted, pointing out that “The tourist areas moved positively, the rest negatively. With regard to the tourist areas, for example, the center shows several positive elements that touch 2019 by during this year’s sales season. But there are regional urban areas that have shown negative signs and that is something that worries us.”
At the same time, the president of the Piraeus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Vassilis Korkidis, reported for his part that the sales volume in clothing and footwear decreased by -18% and in value by -13%.
Positive samples for large and organized markets in the center – In numbers of 2019 this summer for Attica
However, the picture is positive for large and organized markets where, for example, the Attica shopping center on Stadiou Street moved positively during the three-month summer period of June-July-August, as management sources reported that the turnover reached the corresponding period of 2019 .
Cosmetics bullish – Favors the bidding regime and restraint in mark-ups
The cosmetics industry, as reported by Theodoros Jarmenitis, president of the Panhellenic Association of Cosmetics and Perfume Industries and Agents, the companies in the industry did not increase the prices of the products, which contributed to the good performance of the industry recently. “Furthermore, it is a fact that there is an abundance of products on sale, mainly in consumer cosmetics with 1+1 products, while a similar image exists in the products sold in pharmacies, which favors their positive image in the market”.
However, caution prevails from several companies for the period that will follow the intensity of the tourist season, where a significant part of consumers will now be called upon to face the inflationary conditions and the inflation rate of 11.6%, the price increases in electricity and a series of inelastic costs that burden the household budget.
Negative shift in consumer psychology – Pessimism for 7 out of 10
Among other things, however, Vassilis Korkidis referred to the negative change in the psychology of consumers, standing on the obvious pessimism recorded for 7 out of 10 of them, pointing out that they are forced due to energy costs to limit their expenses.
He added that in Greece the difficulties are confirmed by the fact that 45% of consumers already have debts of 1 billion euros from overdue electricity bills, a fact recently announced by the president of the Energy Regulatory Authority, in a letter he sent to the leadership of the ministry Environment and Energy. At the same time, 6 out of 10 Greeks find it difficult to meet their obligations and 8 out of 10 have reduced their purchases of consumer goods.
Source: Capital

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