The Greek summer has an economy of its own. And it is measured not only in arrivals, overnight stays and tourism receipts. It can also be measured in how many swims we took, how many ice creams we ate, how many coffees we bought to go and the 1.43 billion product units sold in supermarkets across mainland and island Greece during the summer season, generating turnover of €3.18 billion.
The paradox is that, despite its significant commercial weight, this summer recorded slower growth than the market as a whole. Sales rose by 4.2% in value and 3% in units, while over the first nine months the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) market (editor’s note: from food and drink to personal and household care products) generated turnover of €7.82 billion, up 5.3%.
The number of units sold also increased, by 3.6%, to 3.55 billion. Units show the number of products sold in supermarkets. Each bottle of water, pot of yoghurt or deodorant counts as one unit sold.
Winners and losers in summer consumption
If any products are synonymous with the Greek summer, olive oil and olives are among them. However, the increase in their unit sales reveals two different growth rates. Over the summer, units of olive oil sold rose by 2.6% compared with the same period last year, while olives recorded a 10% increase. Over the first nine months, the increases were 3.9% for olive oil and 20.9% for olives.
Ice cream remains the undisputed star of the Greek summer, with unit sales rising by 7.6%. For sunscreen, units sold rose by 8.8% over the summer, confirming strong seasonal demand.
The biggest surprises, however, were in drinks. Beer, despite its close association with summer, recorded a marginal 0.1% decline in unit sales. By contrast, aperitifs and liqueurs rose by 14.2%, while vodka was up 11.6%. Growth was more modest for tequila, at 3.4%, and ouzo and tsipouro, at 1.9%. At the other end of the scale, gin fell by 7.3% and rum by 6.2%.
Similar shifts were recorded in non-alcoholic drinks. Overall, unit sales in the category fell by 0.9% over the summer. Juice sales dropped by 10.1%, iced tea by 3% and bottled water by 1.2%. By contrast, sports drinks rose by 9.9% and soft drinks by 1.7%.
Ready-to-drink coffee was one of the big winners, with unit sales up 13.5% over the summer season. That performance stands out in a drinks market where several traditional categories lost ground in units sold.
Even stronger increases were recorded in personal care. Sales of perfumes and colognes rose by 33% in units over the summer, styling products by 10.3%, women’s razors by 9.6%, hand and body care products by 9.1%, sunscreen by 8.8% and deodorants by 8.6%. Overall, unit sales in the Health & Beauty category increased by 4.1%.
Growth in unit sales also extended to household care. Over the summer, moth-repellent products recorded a 15.7% increase in units sold, brooms rose by 12.9%, buckets by 11% and insecticides by 9.6%. Overall, unit sales in the household care category increased by 4.3%.