Greek authorities have stepped up inspections across the holiday marketplace in the greater Athens area, uncovering widespread food safety and hygiene violations and seizing large quantities of unsuitable products. The intensified checks aim to protect public health and prevent price gouging during the peak festive period.
According to regional officials, a total of 4,585 market and health inspections have been carried out since the beginning of December. These checks have already led to the identification of 628 violations, with fines exceeding €324,000.
Inspectors confiscated approximately 12 tons of spoiled and unsafe products, including moldy cheeses, altered meats and other food items deemed unfit for consumption. Images released by the authorities from inspection sites revealed dirty counters, poor storage conditions and serious hygiene lapses.
The inspections covered a wide range of businesses, including food distributors, supermarkets, open-air markets, butcher shops, bakeries, restaurants and other retail outlets. Controls were also extended to fuel stations, leisure businesses and service providers, reflecting a broad effort to ensure compliance across the entire consumer market.
Between December 1 and December 29, thousands of checks focused specifically on foods of animal and plant origin, retail outlets, food facilities and slaughterhouses. In parallel, additional inspections targeted environmental health and sustainable development standards, uncovering further violations and leading to substantial fines, particularly in the energy and fuel sector.
Regional authorities emphasized that enforcement will continue throughout the holiday season. Officials stressed that no tolerance will be shown toward practices that endanger consumer health or exploit households during a time of increased spending. The goal, they said, is to ensure that holiday shopping remains safe, fair and free from unnecessary risk for consumers.
