Ioannis Giotis, president of the Hellenic Food Industry Association (SEVT), Ioannis Giotis, from the podium of the Association’s open event, which is taking place right now.
In the presence of Minister of National Economy and Finance Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Deputy Minister of Development Ioannis Andrianos , and MEP Dimitris Tsiodros— though with the notable absence of Minister of Development Takis Theodorikakos— SEVT President Ioannis Giotis rejected allegations that the food industry was responsible for inflationary pressures.
“Two years ago, our sector was unfairly targeted for the price increases caused by olive oil,” he said. “Today, the processed food industry is once again being demonized for price hikes stemming from other categories—fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, and fish. These pressures are not linked to processed food and beverage products,” he noted.
Mr. Giotis reiterated once again that“inflation is the worst enemy of our industry. We do not want it, we do not seek it,” while emphasizing that “without stability, there can be no investment, productivity cannot increase, and no country can achieve long-term growth.”
The president of SEVT focused on the need for a stable business environment, noting that: “The regulatory framework, both in Greece and Europe, is constantly changing the landscape.” He also noted that shortages of raw materials, packaging, and fertilizers may affect the future availability of raw materials and, consequently, the production of specific goods.
As he noted, the price index for the category has been zero or even negative over the past 16 months, arguing that branded packaged foods act as a buffer against inflationary pressures.
At the same time, he emphasized that the food and beverage industry is the largest manufacturing sector, with a turnover of over 26 billion euros, more than 160,000 direct jobs, and exports reaching 7.4 billion euros. He also noted that the food industry supported the market and households during successive crises, noting that “we made sure that nothing was missing from any Greek table” and that Greece was one of the few countries—perhaps the only one—that did not experience any shortages of food products.