Cyprus supermarket price gap hits 226% as consumer group flags platform flaws
A survey by the Cyprus consumers association found identical products priced up to 226 per cent apart across supermarkets, prompting calls to overhaul the e-kalathi comparison tool.
Products on Cypriot supermarket shelves can carry price tags differing by as much as 226 per cent, according to a survey by the Cyprus consumers association released this week. The group is now urging authorities to re-examine the government-run e-kalathi price comparison platform, as Cyprus Mail reports.
The September 30 survey covered every product and retailer listed on e-kalathi. Among the items checked, 54 (11.3 per cent) showed gaps of between 100 and 226 per cent between their cheapest and priciest listings, while another 231 products (48.5 per cent) varied by 50 to 99 per cent.
A separate check on October 9 at the farmers' market near the GSP Stadium in Nicosia, using Agriculture Ministry e-kofini data, found fruit and vegetables there cost 26 per cent less on average than supermarket equivalents.
What it means for residents
For households already squeezed by grocery bills, the survey is a reminder that the same basket can cost wildly different amounts depending on where you shop — and that the official comparison tool may not be giving the full picture yet.
- Check before you buy. Comparing prices across e-kalathi and e-kofini before heading out can translate into real savings, especially on fruit and vegetables.
- Watch for stale data. The association says errors flagged a month earlier remain uncorrected, so verify shelf prices against the platform rather than trusting it blindly.
- Expect scrutiny ahead. With 1,000 extra products promised for e-kalathi, the push to review what counts as a household essential may change how the platform is built out.
This text is written from the source article and is not a translation of it.
