Accuracy continues to empty the household wallet, especially in supermarkets in basic products.
In May 2025, prices rose 2.47% compared to the same month last year, showing that consumers are still more expensive for basic species. Although from April to May the increase was small (+0.63%) and the total 12 months showed almost stability (-0.03%), the daily life on the shelf remains difficult.
In the context of targeted research by the Consumer Retail Research Institute (IELKA) exclusively on the large supermarket chains on inflationary trends in organized food retailement, the course of prices between May 2025 was examined.
The following conclusions came from the survey:
1. Inflation in supermarket chains is in the order of +2.47% in May 2025 compared to May 2024.
In addition, it is noted that the prices of May 2025 compared to the previous month April 2025 are recorded with a very low increase of +0.63
In total, the rolling 12 months (June 2024 -May 2025) records a fixed price level of -0.03%.
The reductions recorded are the result of both market normalization after the pandemic and reduction in producer prices in certain products.
3. Larger increases in May 2025 compared to May 2024 are recorded in the categories:
- Cookies, chocolates, sugar: +8.83%
- Fresh fruits and vegetables: +7.78%
- Fresh meats: +6.41%
- Dough fresh and frozen: +5.48%
- Alcoholic beverages: +5.46 %
The international prices of cocoa and coffee certainly affect the categories of sweets and drinks. Increases in fresh fruits and vegetables have to do with the weather with the lowest temperatures of 2025 compared to 2024, as in 2024 the much higher temperatures had brought the production of summer species much earlier, lowering prices for the season. In relation to increases in fresh meats, this is a development due to the decline in livestock in 2024, due to animal diseases in most areas of the province and secondly to increases in international prices in imported species and especially in the calf (it is noted that the majority of beef and beef).
At the same time, there is a substantial effect on Easter seasonality, with Easter 2025 being recorded in May 2025, while in 2024 on April.
The largest reductions were recorded in detergents and cleaning items, pet foods and grocery foods due to the price decline in olive oil.
The reasons to which the tendency of broader product prices are attributed to supermarkets:
- Inflation Defense. Prices have been restrained in the last eighteen months in large grocery stores due to large volumes of products that are moving, economies of scale, their organizational-technological readiness and private label products.
- Government institutional interventions. Supermarket chains operate in a strict institutional framework. It is noted that in March the new Code of Conduct for Promotions was implemented.
- Offers and discounts. Offers and discounts on the organized retailement channel are more in number, in intensity and percentage discounts, which affects the final prices of the products.
- High traffic speed. Price retaining appears much faster in large points of sale due to higher stock speeds. That is, they move their stock faster and soon make new markets to replenish stocks.
- Effect of private label products. Private label sales shares are larger in large supermarket chains due to a widest range of code, and over the last two years they have been increasing.
For the purpose of the research, the change of unit value per product category (sales to volume) was analyzed between May 2025 and May 2024. This index reflects both the prices course and the purchasing choices of consumers.
The purpose of the research is to objectively record prices separately on the organized retail channel (supermarket), which is now the main channel of the disposal of basic consumer goods, with significant operation differences from the rest of the market both due to state measures and the economies of size.
The research will be repeated per month by comparing the evolution of prices compared to the corresponding month of the previous year.
Source: Skai
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