Circana’s latest survey of the fast-moving consumer goods market shows signs of continued price pressure on basic consumer goods. The analysis covers the period up to the week ending March 29, 2026, and is based on data from supermarkets and hypermarkets throughout mainland Greece and Crete.
The focus is on the so-called “basket” of 60 key FMCG categories, a composite index that reflects the average consumer expenditure, including one representative product from each category. These categories account for approximately 72% of the total market value, while prices are calculated based on the average value per unit, taking into account weekly promotional offers.
What the comparison shows
The data show that in the first quarter of 2026, the value of the basket for branded products reached €212.06 compared to €210.92 in the corresponding period of 2025, while for private-label products, the basket cost €145.65, up from €144.98 during the same period a year earlier.
A comparison with 2021 highlights the extent of the change. At that time, the basket of branded products cost €181.97 and €121.83 for private-label items. In other words, the basket of branded products has increased by 16.5% —note: this year’s first quarter is the most expensive in six years—while the private-label basket rose at a faster rate, by 19.5%, compared to the branded basket.
However, this growth is not solely due to inflation. In the first quarter of the year, sales value increased by 5.5% across the entire market, +3.5% in volume, while the average price per unit rose by 2%.
As for branded products, the increase in sales value was 5.2%, +3.5% in volume, and +1.6% in price per unit, in contrast to private labels, whose price rose 3%, sales volume 3.3%, and total sales value 6.4%.