“We have introduced horizontal measures concerning 25,000 products in supermarkets. We will not stop protecting the consumer.”

This was underlined by the Minister of Development Kostas Skrekas speaking on the “MEGA Weekend” show, when asked why the measure of permanent reduction of prices in supermarkets to fight punctuality is not continued.

The minister noted: “Let’s start with something basic, yesterday the Eurostat, the European Statistical Service, announced the inflation of the countries of Europe for the previous month. There Greece has a very significant drop in inflation from 3.2 to 2.3%, that is, the general price index within a month decreased by approximately 30%. Food inflation also decreases in Greece from 4.8 to 2.4%. However, we are not complacent, we continue the effort to see the prices on the shelves stabilize and slowly there is a de-escalation”.

Referring to the suspension of the measure of permanent price reduction in supermarkets he said: “The permanent price reduction concerned 1,500 products, but on the contrary the permanent price reduction for 15% through measures we have passed which concerns household detergents, cleaners, personal care products , baby diapers are for 4 thousand products and there the catalog price is reduced by 15% on average. From now on, all the products, which yesterday you buy at a certain price, obviously most of the products you will buy at the same price tomorrow. In fact, next month, according to the data we have at the Ministry of Development, we will have a price reduction in the supermarket stores.”

He added: “We have introduced horizontal measures concerning 25,000 products in supermarkets. We will not stop protecting the consumer. We also have a new “weapon” in the hands of consumers, the e-katanalotis. Obviously there is accuracy and households are struggling. From then on, we have enabled households with the measures we have taken to purchase basic products at affordable prices.”

Furthermore, Mr. Skrekas said: “The world is having a hard time when it comes to accuracy. One cannot say that we have solved the problem of accuracy because inflation has started to decline. We still have a long way to go before we see prices stabilize on basic – at least – products and start to come down. The world sees a very serious and very responsible government that takes measures that do not endanger the future of the next generations and that correct pathologies.”

To reduce VAT

Regarding the case of the VAT reduction, the minister commented: “Food inflation in Greece decreased from 4.8 to 2.4%, it has half the inflation of Spain. So it seems that in Spain they reduced the VAT and they also have higher inflation and at some point they will have to increase the VAT again on the products that reduced it and therefore their prices will go even higher. On the contrary, we took a series of measures that corrected structural distortions of the market and these (measures) have started to pay off. Today, according to Eurostat, Greece has the sixth lowest inflation in the Eurozone.

Electricity bills

Asked about the price trend in electricity tariffs, Mr. Skrekas said: “Whether we will see increases or decreases in electricity tariffs depends on the wholesale price. Because a large percentage of electricity consumption comes from renewable energy sources (RES), when we have a lot of RES in the electricity mix we have a decrease in prices, while the lower participation of RES for various weather reasons, such as the African dust we had, means increases ».