ESEE Survey: Turnover Decline for Half of Retail Businesses During Christmas

A survey by ESEE revealed that more than half of the retail businesses (52%) in Greece recorded lower sales during the Christmas holiday season compared to last year. The total turnover did not reach the predicted 4.5 billion euros.

The President of ESEE, Mr. Stavros Kafounis, emphasized that the poor performance did not offset the year's losses and added further challenges, such as increased operating costs and competition from e-commerce platforms.

Only 32% of businesses had sales at last year's levels, with food products performing better. 46% of businesses with lower sales reported a decrease of up to 10%, while 34% reported a drop of 11% to 20%.

For 2025, half of the businesses predict a decrease in sales. Challenges include operating costs, financial obligations, and reduced consumer spending.