Cyprus Consumer Association reports major price disparities in supermarkets and local markets

A recent study by the Cyprus Consumer Association has revealed significant price variations in products sold across supermarkets participating in the e-kalathi platform. Research conducted on September 30, 2026, indicated that 11.3% of products exhibit price discrepancies ranging from 100% to 226%, while 48.5% show differences between 50% and 99%. The Association has raised concerns regarding the effectiveness of the e-kalathi platform, noting input errors and limited competitive pricing.

In a separate assessment conducted on October 9, 2026, at the local market near GSP stadium, researchers compared prices for 15 agricultural products against the Ministry of Agriculture's e-kofini application. The findings show that local market prices are on average 26.02% lower than those in supermarkets. Specific products demonstrated notable gaps: black eggplants were 44.81% cheaper at the market, followed by vine tomatoes at 34.99% and zucchini at 34.59%. These findings highlight a substantial cost advantage for consumers choosing local markets over major supermarket chains, while simultaneously questioning the current functionality and market impact of digital price-monitoring tools in Cyprus.