Supermarkets in Cyprus are being urged to disclose the percentage deduction when advertising special offers. In one case, out of 21 products on offer, the prices of 20 were higher than another supermarket that did not have offers. This has led to calls for supermarkets that mislead the public over special offers to be named and shamed.
The Cypriot Union of Consumers and Quality of Life has warned consumers about purchasing items from the internet platform Temu, which does not respect European consumer safety legislation. The organisation calls on the government consumer protection service to investigate the platform and take measures. Temu was hit with a European Union complaint over a potential breach of online content rules under the EU’s Digital Services Act. BEUC lodged a grievance with the European Commission and 17 of its members in various countries also filed complaints with their national authorities against Temu for using manipulative practices and breaching the EU’s Digital Services Act.
Fact: Cypriot consumers are waiting until the last minute to do their Easter shopping.
Consumers are facing the most expensive Easter in at least five years, as food prices have soared. A comparison with 2019 prices shows that consumers could pay 50% more for traditional Easter foods this year. The increase is attributed to global supply chain disruptions, inflation, the war in Ukraine, rising interest rates, and instability in the Middle East. The cost of 12 Easter staples has risen by 48.65% since 2019, with small, locally-reared lambs now costing €12.43 per kilogram, up 96% from 2019, and minced pork at €6.06 per kilogram, a 69.27% increase. The price of traditional flaounes has also gone up, with consumers now paying €13.27 per kilogram, a 56.29% increase from 2019.
Olive oil prices have increased by 105.9% since last Easter, with a litre now priced at €15.05.
Prices have generally increased over the past few years, leading to consumers paying more and buying less when visiting supermarkets. This has resulted in many consumers changing their shopping habits, opting for cheaper or lower-quality products and buying only essentials. The price indices for basic consumer products have shown increases in various categories, with some products like fresh vegetables and greens seeing significant price hikes. On the other hand, some products like frozen pasta and sugar have seen price decreases. A survey conducted by Phileleftheros found that the cost of 35 household products has increased by €62.25 compared to the previous year, resulting in a significant impact on the budgets of low and middle-income consumers.
The average price of fuel in Cyprus has increased by 4.5 cents per litre for petrol, 1.3 cents per litre for diesel, and 0.4 cents per litre for heating oil following the termination of the government’s reduced tax measure. Gasoline prices had already increased by 8.3 cents per litre before the tax measure was lifted.