Nicosia, Cyprus. The consumers’ association said the consumer protection service should disclose the names of supermarkets referenced in e-Kalathi price comparisons. It also challenged official figures on the number of common products listed in the app.
Call to name supermarkets
In a statement on Thursday, the association said that despite repeated calls for greater transparency, the consumer protection service’s price observatory has not provided the names of supermarkets included in e-Kalathi comparisons.
The association said highlighting potential savings through the app without naming the supermarkets is misleading, adding that the consumer “has the right to know the names of the supermarkets so that he can make his choice.”
It said that when announcements state consumers can save a considerable amount by buying from the cheapest supermarket, “the consumer has the right to know the names of the supermarkets so that he can make his choice.”
Dispute over common product figures
The association disputed figures published by the consumer protection service, saying the number of common products listed in e-Kalathi is 230, not 248.
“The report that 248 products are common across seven large supermarkets does not appear to be accurate,” the association said. It said these products are common to five supermarkets, only three of which are considered large.
Basket totals cited by the association
Based on the organisation’s own calculations using 230 common products priced against the cheapest supermarket, the association said Sklavenitis offered the lowest basket total at €844.74.
It said Athienitis followed at €861.56, with Alphamega the highest at €893.91.
Background on the e-Kalathi app
The e-Kalathi app launched on June 12, 2025, and feedback has been mixed to negative, with the consumers’ association and others raising multiple issues.
The platform was intended to inform shoppers about prices and availability of basic products across major supermarkets islandwide, allowing users to compare shopping baskets made up of selected items at different stores.
Ahead of the release, then Commerce and Industry Minister George Papanastasiou described the app as a dynamic tool aimed at everyday use, promising continuous improvement based on feedback from consumers and stakeholders.
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