Greek supermarket sector posts rise in turnover

Greece's supermarket sector posted an increase in turnover in 2017, albeit small, marking the first annual rise since 2010, according to a survey conducted by Nielsen.

The market research firm found that supermarkets posted a 1.6 percent increase in turnover compared to 2016, although this is largely attributed to the fact that a sizable part of the defunct Marinopoulos chain resumed operations under the Sklavenitis brand.

The positive swing for supermarkets began in September, with every month since showing an increase.

The product category with the highest annual growth rate last year was fresh and bulk commodities (up 3.6 percent), while that including personal hygiene and cosmetics products posted a 0.7 percent year-on-year decline.