Summer sales start on Monday amid hopes shy upturn will continue

Summer retail sales begin at stores across Greece on Monday and will run through Friday, August 31.

Retailers are optimistic that a shy increase in retail sales in 2017 will continue this year with the Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Enterprises (ESEE) estimating a turnover of 6.06 billion euros, some 0.6 to 0.7 percent up from last year's summer sales. 

Summer sales turnover rose marginally in 2017 compared to 2016, mainly thanks to the increase in tourism in densely populated areas such as Attica, though it was still far below the pre-crisis levels.

Data from the ESEE showed that in July and August 2017 retailers’ turnover came to 6.02 billion euros, up 0.8 percent on the 2016 sales window. In the 2009 summer sales, retail turnover had come to 8.05 billion, so the decline from then amounted to more than 25 percent.