Summer sales to continue through Aug. 31 in Greece

As part of the seasonal sales campaign, shops were also allowed to open on an optional basis on Sunday, July 19, with recommended operating hours from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Participation, however, was not mandatory for all businesses.

Under current legislation, retailers must clearly display the price of a product before the discount was applied, allowing consumers to determine the actual savings. The reference price must be the lowest price at which the product was sold during the 30 days preceding the start of the sales period. For products that have been on the market for less than 30 days, the lowest price recorded during the previous 10 days must be used.

Displaying the percentage of the discount is optional, but any advertised reduction must reflect a genuine price cut and must not mislead consumers. If more than 60% of a store’s products are offered at discounted prices, the corresponding discount rate must be displayed in the shop window. Where different discount levels apply, retailers are required to indicate the range of reductions available.

Consumer experts also advise shoppers to focus primarily on the final selling price rather than the advertised discount percentage. They warn against cases in which prices are increased shortly before the sales period to create the appearance of larger discounts.

Before completing a purchase, retailers must inform customers of their policies regarding product exchanges and returns. Consumers purchasing defective products continue to be protected under existing legislation and may be entitled to repair, replacement or a refund, depending on the circumstances.