Six of the country’s largest supermarket chains were referred yesterday to an Athens prosecutor and a trade committee after checks found that the retailers’ registers charged up to 26 percent more for their products than the prices posted on the shelf.

Athens Prefecture investigation teams performed sample tests on the supermarkets from the start of June through to September 19.

Prefect Yiannis Sgouros said that if such incidents are repeated then he will shut down the stores. “The checks showed that some businessman outright cheat consumers,” Sgouros said. The supermarkets concerened are Carrefour Marinopoulos, Atlantic, Alimenta Top, Bazaar, Xinos and AB Vassilopoulos.

The Association of Greek Supermarkets (SESME) responded late yesterday by blaming the price mistakes on human error.

Out of the 25 price differences, 24 were in favor of the supermarkets, according to the data released. In June, seven supermarket chains and their union were slapped with fines totaling more than 18 million euros for unlawfully colluding to fix shelf prices.