Buying Greek viewed as way to boost the economy and jobs

The phenomenon of “economic patriotism,” whereby consumers opt for domestic products instead of imports, appears to be surging anew in Greece after dropping off for a while, with Greeks basing their shopping choices – where possible – on supporting local production in a bid to boost the economy and reduce unemployment, according to a recent survey by the Athens University for Economics and Business which has been seen by Kathimerini.

The survey showed that 80.4 percent of respondents said they would rather buy Greek products than imports – although this concerns intention and not the actual final choice of each shopper, which is affected by other factors such as prices, offers and availability.

Also nine in 10 people surveyed said they would like it to be made clear in the labeling whether a product has been made in Greece, while 61 percent of participants said they think locally made commodities are superior in quality and safety than imports. According to 92 percent of respondents, buying Greek supports the country’s economy, and 86 percent believe that economic patriotism contributes toward reducing unemployment.

It is no coincidence that local enterprises in the sectors of food and drinks, manufacturing, and commerce have recently increased their advertising so as to stress their “Greekness” or their contribution toward the domestic economy.

The above has been noted in the battle for dominance in Greece between Hellenic Brewery of Atalanti (EZA) on the one side and the local subsidiaries of Heineken and Carlsberg (Athenian Brewery and Olympic Brewery respectively) on the other. EZA – a member of the “Ella-Dika Mas” business initiative that consists of companies with their domicile, production and ownership in this country – triggered this standoff through its advertising campaign titled “We Seek Some Space for Greece.”