Noticeable price increases in products listed on the e-kalathi platform have been observed since April 15, according to the Cyprus Consumers Association, which also highlights significant price disparities across supermarkets.
In a statement, the Association said it analysed price data recorded on April 19 and compared it with findings from July 2025. The e-kalathi platform has been publicly available since June 12, 2025.
Based on a sample of 42 products across all categories, the average difference between the highest and lowest price for the same item stood at 62%, a level described as particularly high for essential consumer goods. In six of the products examined, the price gap exceeded 100%.
The Association said these findings indicate a lack of strong competition across the majority of participating supermarkets.
By contrast, in fresh pasteurised milk, the average price difference across supermarkets nationwide was limited to 18%, while among the three largest supermarket chains, prices showed no variation.
Shifts in supermarket rankings
The analysis also points to changes in overall pricing competitiveness between major retailers.
In July 2025, the lowest total cost for 267 common products was recorded at Sklavenitis, at €926.52, followed by Athienitis at €979.49. By April 19, 2026, based on 230 common products, Athienitis ranked first with a total cost of €860.36, followed by Sklavenitis at €875.67.
AlphaMega also showed notable improvement, with its price gap compared to Sklavenitis narrowing from 13% in July 2025 to 5% in the latest data.
The Association said meaningful competition was observed only among a limited number of supermarkets, while the majority showed little evidence of aggressive pricing.
It also highlighted “very large price deviations” between the lowest and highest prices, in some cases exceeding 100%, and reiterated that noticeable increases have been recorded since mid-April.
All conclusions, the Association noted, are based exclusively on data available through the e-kalathi platform.
The Cyprus Consumers Association said it will continue monitoring price developments and will regularly publish its findings based on ongoing analysis of the platform’s data.
Source: CNA