Over €714 million was saved by consumers and the Greek economy over the five-year period 2021–2025, thanks to the interventions of the Hellenic Competition Commission. According to a new study by the European Commission on the benefits of competition law enforcement, the total estimated gain for the market reached €714.27 million.
According to a statement from the European Commission, the study — titled “Estimating customer savings generated by competition enforcement in the EU” — marks the first time that the economic benefits generated by interventions from both the Commission and the National Competition Authorities participating in the European Competition Network (ECN) have been assessed at a European level. The Hellenic Competition Commission is among those included in this assessment.
The gains for European households
According to the study’s findings, competition authority interventions across the European Union generate an estimated annual benefit of between €18.5 billion and €29.7 billion — equivalent to approximately €100 to €155 per household in the EU each year. It is also noted that the consumer surplus captures only a portion of the total benefits, as the full picture must also account for long-term improvements in quality, gains in productivity, and — crucially — the strong deterrent effect that such interventions produce.
The assessment is based on the “consumer surplus” metric, which is widely used internationally to estimate the economic benefit consumers receive when anti-competitive practices — that could otherwise lead to price increases, reduced choice, and diminished innovation — are successfully prevented.
The Hellenic Competition Commission also announced that during the same five-year period, fines totalling €128.67 million were imposed, with €15.8 million subsequently remitted to the state budget.
An “investment” in the economy and sustainable growth
The Hellenic Competition Commission emphasises that the data confirm effective competition law enforcement is not merely a regulatory or supervisory activity — it is an investment with measurable outcomes for consumers, businesses, and the broader economy. Its impact includes keeping prices in check, improving the quality of goods and services, fostering innovation, and supporting sustainable growth.
“Ensuring healthy and competitive markets helps to contain prices, improve the quality of products and services, strengthen innovation, and create the conditions for sustainable growth. Protecting competition is not solely a matter of law enforcement. It is an investment in the smooth functioning of markets, in price stability, in innovation, and ultimately in the well-being of both citizens and businesses,” the Commission stated.
