Greek supermarket sales continued to rise in the first four months of 2026, with total turnover reaching approximately €5.3 billion, up from €5 billion in the same period last year, according to Nielsen data.
The figures point to a market that is still expanding in value terms, while also undergoing changes in the way consumers shop and the way retailers use discounts and promotions.
One of the most notable trends is the sharp fall in the share of sales generated through promotions. In the January–April period, offers and other promotional actions accounted for 34.6% of total supermarket turnover. That compares with 37.5% in the same period of 2025 and 54.4% in 2024.
The drop follows the introduction of Greece’s new code of conduct for supermarket promotions, which was designed to make discounts clearer and reduce misleading pricing practices. The data suggest that promotional sales have lost nearly 20 percentage points in just two years.
The key question for consumers is whether money previously spent by suppliers and retailers on promotional campaigns is now being redirected toward more permanent price reductions on supermarket shelves.
Online grocery sales grow faster than the wider market
Online supermarket sales remain a small part of the Greek grocery market, but they are growing much faster than total sales.
According to Nielsen, e-shop sales by supermarket chains rose by 21.6% in the first four months of 2026, compared with overall market growth of 7.2%.
In value terms, online supermarket sales reached €123.4 million, up from €101.5 million in the same period last year. Despite the rapid increase, online grocery sales still account for just 3.3% of total supermarket turnover.
The figures show that digital grocery shopping is becoming more familiar to Greek consumers, although physical stores continue to dominate the sector.
Which store formats are growing fastest
Growth was recorded across all major supermarket formats, but larger-format stores performed particularly strongly.
Hypermarkets, which sell food and retail items, posted the highest growth rate, at 10.7%. Kiosk-like superettes rose 8.2%, small supermarkets grew by 7.6%, while large supermarkets recorded growth of 5.5%.
The figures suggest that consumers are still using a mix of shopping habits: larger stores for bigger baskets and smaller neighborhood outlets for convenience purchases.
Crete and Thessaloniki lead regional growth
The strongest regional growth was recorded in Crete, where supermarket sales rose by 9.1%, followed by Thessaloniki at 8.1%.
The islands followed with 8%, while Central Greece recorded growth of 7.1%. Attica and the Peloponnese each posted growth of 7%, while Macedonia and Thrace recorded the lowest increase, at 5.7%.
Private label remains stable
Private-label products (supermarket-owned brands that are usually priced below major branded goods) remained an important part of the market.
Their share stood at 24.4% in the first four months of 2026, almost unchanged from 24.3% in the same period last year.
Private label has become more important in Greece during the cost-of-living crisis, as consumers look for cheaper alternatives to branded products. The latest figures suggest that this shift has not reversed, even as overall supermarket sales continue to grow.
What the data show
The Nielsen figures point to three main developments in Greek grocery retail.
First, supermarket turnover is still rising, although part of that increase may reflect higher prices as well as higher volumes. Second, online grocery shopping is growing quickly but remains a small share of the market. Third, promotional sales have fallen sharply, raising questions about how discount rules are reshaping supermarket pricing.
For Greek households, the issue is not only how much supermarket sales are rising, but whether the changing mix of fewer promotions, stable private-label demand and expanding e-commerce will translate into lower everyday prices.
Source: OT
