Winter sales begin – Sundays when shops will be open

Traditionally, the winter sales begin after the end of the holiday season, on the second Monday of January, and run until the end of February.

This year, the sales period starts on Monday, 12 January, and will last until Friday, 27 February.

During the sales, shops will be open on Sundays 19 and 26 January, with recommended opening hours from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Winter sales: What consumers should watch out for

The Consumers’ Workers Union of Greece highlights some key consumer rights during discount periods, with the aim of ensuring safer and more informed shopping:

During winter sales and, more generally, promotional offers, the original price and the new reduced price of products must be clearly displayed at the point of sale, with reference to the appropriate unit of measurement for each product.

In any announcement of a price reduction, the previous price applied by the retailer for a specific period prior to the reduction must be indicated. As a previous price is defined the lowest price applied by the retailer during a period of no less than thirty (30) days before the price reduction took effect.

If a product has been on the market for less than thirty (30) days, the previous price is considered to be the lowest price applied during a period of ten (10) days prior to the reduction.

When a price reduction is increased progressively, the previous price is considered to be the price without any reduction before the first application of the discount.

During sales periods, in addition to displaying the old and the new reduced prices of discounted goods and services, retailers are also permitted to display and communicate the percentage discount.

If a reduced price applies to more than 60% of all items for sale, the discount percentage must be displayed in the shop window and in any other commercial communication. Where different discount rates apply to different product categories, the range of discounts must be stated (e.g. “from …% to …%”).

In all other cases, it must be clearly stated that discounts apply to selected items, along with the corresponding discount percentage.
Stock or outlet stores are required to display on the prescribed signage:
(a) the previous selling price, crossed out, and
(b) the new reduced selling price, in a way that clearly distinguishes between the two prices for consumers.

Optionally, the percentage reduction may also be displayed inside the store and in any other form of commercial communication. During sales or promotional periods, these stores must show all intermediate prices crossed out and display the new reduced selling price in bold, while in any other commercial communication they may only use the terms “sales” or “offers”.

If sales, offers, or any announcement of a price reduction are inaccurate or misleading with regard to the discount percentage, prices, quantities of discounted or promotional products, or involve any form of concealment or deception, a fine of up to 2% of the retailer’s annual turnover may be imposed, with a minimum fine of €20,000.

If a retailer is fined a second time for the same violation within five years, the maximum fine increases to 4% of the annual turnover.