Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis welcomed the president and CEO of the well-known supermarket chain, Gerasimos Sklavenitis, at the Maximos Mansion. The meeting took place in the shadow of the fine imposed on the country’s largest organized retail chain, a penalty that provoked a strong reaction from the group. The main topics of discussion included prices of basic goods and food, the need for greater transparency in products sold in supermarkets, as well as issues concerning market competition.
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“It is essential to strengthen trust between the State, businesses and consumers,” Mitsotakis and Sklavenitis agreed
According to sources, both sides reportedly agreed to address all issues with the Supermarket Union in order to clarify the rules governing the inspections carried out by the Inter-Service Control Unit (DIMEA) and to improve competition for the benefit of consumers and businesses.
High prices in supermarkets have sparked intense debates, with this particular company receiving a fine of 1.44 million euros for violations of the Code of Ethics, which management rejected with a harsh statement.
Development Minister Takis Theodorikakos has emphasized that “the law applies to everyone,” clarifying that the fines were imposed after two DIMEA inspections and that any company can appeal to the courts if it believes it has been wronged. One of the main objectives of the Mitsotakis-Sklavenitis meeting was to de-escalate tensions, for the benefit of both consumers and businesses.
It is evident that supermarket owners believe the rules are not clear, nor is the methodology used for inspections by Development Ministry services, resulting in fines being imposed. This is similar to what the market argued a few years ago regarding tax audits, which ultimately led to specific guidelines being issued on how tax provisions are interpreted and applied in similar cases.
The government did not provide further information about the meeting, while Sklavenitis’ side confirms the discussion framework mentioned above.
