Clean Monday: How shops and supermarkets will operate

With retail stores closed but exceptions for supermarkets, bakeries and open-air markets, the market is moving to Lent rhythms – Where to do your last-minute shopping for lagana and seafood.

NEWSROOM
21 Φεβρουαρίου 2026 14:56

Clean Monday is not included among the official public holidays established by law for private sector employees.

However, businesses may choose to remain closed if Clean Monday has been designated a holiday through a Collective Labour Agreement (CLA), the company’s Work Regulations, or by long-standing business practice and custom under which the company remains closed on that day.

In Greece, a large number of private businesses treat Clean Monday as a holiday.

What applies to retail stores and supermarkets

As far as retail stores are concerned, with the sole exception of food service outlets and cinemas operating in malls, they are expected to remain closed.

Clothing, footwear, electrical goods and other retail stores will also not operate.

Regarding supermarkets, the chains Sklavenitis, AB Vassilopoulos, Galaxias, Kritikos and Masoutis will observe the holiday and remain closed.

However, the following will operate:

Lidl: With opening hours 07:45 – 16:00.

MyMarket: Selected stores of the chain in Athens and other regions will open from 08:00 to 14:00.

Smaller Shop & Go stores, as well as the OK! Markets and Bazaar chains, will operate normally, often with extended hours.

Open from early morning will be:

Bakeries
Neighborhood fishmongers
Open-air markets
Pastry shops
Kiosks and mini markets
Cafés, tavernas and other food service establishments

How Varvakios Market and Renti Market will operate

The Varvakios Market in Athens and the Consumer Market in Renti will operate continuously from Sunday evening until midday on Clean Monday.

Professionals recommend shopping early in the morning, as after 11:00 traffic peaks and waiting times increase significantly.

How much lagana and Lent seafood will cost this year

According to the Authority’s data so far, on Friday, February 20, 2026 — which traditionally marks the substantial intensification of competition in the Lent foods market — prices in supermarkets and major markets are shaping up as follows compared with the same period in 2025:

Olives: decrease of approximately 10%
Lagana: stable price (starting from €2.30 to €2.50 per piece in Thessaloniki, while in Athens the average price ranges from €3.20 to €3.50, as the size is 700–750 grams).
Halva: stable price
Cuttlefish: stable price
Shrimp: increase of approximately 5%
Squid: increase of approximately 8%
Octopus: increase of approximately 15%

At the same time, based on statements made on Friday to Ant1 by the president of the Varvakios Market Fishmongers Association, Gerasimos Mantalvanos, seafood prices ahead of Clean Monday at Varvakios Market can make up a full table with about seven products. According to Mr Mantalvanos, there is a wide range of prices depending on origin.

Specifically:

Octopus

Fresh octopus costs this year from €14 per kilo up to €20 per kilo, compared with €18 to €22 per kilo last year. He also noted that larger-sized octopus are harder to find, which makes them more expensive.

Frozen octopus is being sold this year from €10 per kilo up to €15 per kilo depending on size, compared with €12 to €16 last year. This year there is greater variety in octopus compared with last year, making prices more competitive.

Shrimp

The selling price of frozen Argentine red shrimp ranges from €13 to €14 per kilo, compared with €10 to €12 per kilo last year. The price has increased by €1 to €2 compared with last year because traders purchase shrimp at higher prices than last year and cannot absorb the increase. This is the only increase recorded this year in seafood at Varvakios Market.

Frozen dark gamba shrimp: This year it is sold from €9 to €10 per kilo depending on size, compared with €10 to €11 last year. A price increase of €1 to €2 is recorded.

Squid

Fresh Greek squid: This year they are sold from €18 to €22 per kilo, compared with €20 and above last year.

Frozen squid costs from €10 to €18 per kilo depending on size, compared with €12 to €23 last year.

Thrapsala (shortfin squid)

Half-kilo and larger thrapsala, whether fresh or frozen, are sold from €8, the same as last year.

Small fresh thrapsalaki costs approximately €5. There is some shortage in small domestic thrapsalaki.

Cuttlefish

Fresh/frozen cuttlefish is sold this year from €10 to €11 depending on size, whereas last year small ones (200–300 grams) and large ones (800 grams) cost €12.

Fresh shellfish

Prices for fresh shellfish remain at last year’s levels, around €6.

Freshcla ms (kidonia and gialistheres)

This year prices are around €28 per kilo, compared with €30 last year, marking a decrease of about €2. Last year, small kidonia and gialistheres cost €25 to €26.