GREECE: CONSUMERS STAY AWAY FROM SHOPS AS PART OF A NATIONWIDE BUYING BOYCOTT TO PROTEST AGAINST BALLONING PRICES SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE EURO CURRENCY
Record ID:
584936
GREECE: CONSUMERS STAY AWAY FROM SHOPS AS PART OF A NATIONWIDE BUYING BOYCOTT TO PROTEST AGAINST BALLONING PRICES SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE EURO CURRENCY
- Title: GREECE: CONSUMERS STAY AWAY FROM SHOPS AS PART OF A NATIONWIDE BUYING BOYCOTT TO PROTEST AGAINST BALLONING PRICES SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE EURO CURRENCY
- Date: 2nd September 2002
- Summary: (W5) ATHENS, GREECE (SEPTEMBER 3, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV LOCAL ATHENS FRUIT MARKET 0.05 2. MV FRUIT & VEGETABLE STALL VENDOR WAITING FOR CUSTOMERS 0.11 3. CU/SLV PRICES OF FRUITS IN EUROS AT STALLS (2 SHOTS) 0.21 4. MV/SV FOOD STALL VENDORS WAITING FOR CUSTOMERS (2 SHOTS) 0.31 5. (SOUNDBITE)(Greek) FOOD STALL OWNER EDWARD MIRTOLLARI SAYING: "There are less people today, less today than yesterday and the day before." 0.36 6. SCU/MV STALL OWNER SELLING GARLIC (2 SHOTS) 0.45 7. (SOUNDBITE)(Greek) ELDERLY CONSUMER DIMITRIS XIOTIS, PARTICIPATING IN THE BOYCOTT SAYING: "Prices are now twice and three times higher than usual. Something has got to be done this is unacceptable, it has to be brought under control because the consumer just can't handle it anymore. Money is slipping through our fingers and we don't know where it is going." 1.00 8. GV STREETSCENE IN MAIN STREET OF ATHENS CENTRAL SHOPPING DISTRICT (GOOD GVs) 1.05 9. GV CLOTH STORE WINDOW 1.12 10. GV SHOP EMPLOYEES WAITING INSIDE EMPTY CLOTH SHOP 1.18 11. VARIOUS OF EMPTY COSMETICS SHOP (3 SHOTS) 1.33 12. MV/SV CAR WITH MEGAPHONE IN SHOPPING DISTRICT (WITH MAN HEARD ASKING PASSERS-BY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SHOPPING BOYCOTT) (2 SHOTS) 1.42 13. MV MAN AND WOMAN HANDING OUT PAMPHLETS WHICH CALL PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SHOPPING BOYCOTT; CU LEAFLET (2 SHOTS) 1.51 14. GV/MV EMPLOYEES IN THE OFFICE OF CONSUMERS PROTECTION INSTITUTE WHICH ORGANIZED THE BOYCOTT (2 SHOTS) 2.01 15. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRESIDENT OF THE CONSUMERS PROTECTION INSTITUTE CHARALAMBOS KOURIS SAYING: "All these months we gathered more than 10,500 complaints for the cost of living. In the second position was food safety, and in third place was tourists complaints--about 6,500 until August, and a percentage of them was for the cost of living." 2.30 (W5) ATHENS, GREECE (SEPTEMBER 2, 2002)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 16. VARIOUS OF INSPECTORS FROM THE FINANCIAL CRIMES UNIT CONDUCTING INSPECTION IN A MARKET STORE (TO CHECK FOR RAISED PRICES AND PRICE VIOLATIONS) (5 SHOTS) 2.57 17. (SOUNDBITE)(Greek) GEORGE TOMARAS, OFFICIAL OF THE FINANCIAL CRIMES UNIT INSPECTION TEAM SAYING: "We have ascertained that on general terms there is a 10 percent increase in prices in comparison with the same period last year." 3.07 (W5) ZAKYNTHOS ISLAND, GREECE (FILE - AUGUST 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 18. VARIOUS OF TOURISTS SUNTANNING ON BEACHES (3 SHOTS) 3.22 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 17th September 2002 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ATHENS, GREECE
- Country: Greece
- Reuters ID: LVAF3QACD0CUOENBWPRCT4YZ2VYT
- Story Text: Greek consumers stayed away from shops on Tuesday as
part of a nationwide buying boycott to protest against
ballooning prices since the introduction of the Euro
currency.
Greeks stayed away from shops on Tuesday (September 3)
after a Greek consumers organization called on the public not
to spend a single euro as part of a boycott against inflated
prices by sellers since the introduction of the euro currency.
Since the beginning of the year the Consumers Protection
Institute has received more than 10,000 phone call complaints
from Greek consumers over ballooning prices of goods and
services in the country, including complaints by thousands of
tourists visiting Greece.
"All these months we gathered more than 10,500 complaints
for the cost of living. In the second position was food
safety, and in third place was tourists complaints - about
6,500 until August - and a percentage of them was for the cost
of living," said Charalambos Kouris, president of the
Institute.
Since the crossover to the euro currency in January 2002,
prices for goods and services have seen an abrupt rise across
the country, with prices being rounded up and causing an
outpouring of angry complaints.
The currency conversion rate of 340.75 drachmas to one
euro has seen prices double according to the old drachma rate.
Bottles of water, which sold for 100 drachma before the
euro, now sell on some tourist islands for as much as one euro
--340.74 drachma.
Kouris said early morning results of the boycott showed
that in the Athens central market districts, full of small
businesses, there was a decrease of sales by as much as 85
percent due to the boycott.
The Consumers Protection Institute also called on the
public to turn off power switches at home and at the office
for several minutes as well abstaining from fixed-line or
mobile telephone calls for two minutes at 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday
(September 3) night.
The Greek government has also called on the public to
boycott companies that have unjustifyingly escalated prices.
Finance ministry officials were considering issuing a
black list of companies that had inflated prices.
Price increases threatened the country's already high
inflation rate, currently at around 3.3 percent, which is the
third highest in the euro zone.
Complaints on the streets by consumers were abundant, with
many saying they were participating in the boycott.
Greece's finance ministry sent out special inspection
teams from the Financial Crimes Unit to carry out checks and
find price violators after ministers said price hikes would no
longer be tolerated.
Financial Crimes Unit Inspector George Tomaras, said their
surveys showed prices across the board have increased by about
10 percent since last year.
Higher prices risk damaging the tourist industry and
competitiveness, officials said.
Greece is visited by millions of tourists each year.
cah/jg
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None