War against profiteering
In a crackdown on profiteering by shopkeepers in central Athens and at the city’s international airport, Development Ministry inspectors have uncovered a number of cases of overpricing, particularly at the airport where profits on some items ranged from 37 percent to as much as 543 percent over the limit. Nearly 30 percent of shops inspected in central Athens were also found to be overcharging. Food outlets at the airport that were inspected more than once were found to be selling prepackaged goods at gross profits of 82-588 percent, when the permitted profit margin is 45 percent. Charges have been pressed against all concerned. In Athens, where inspectors visited 11 restaurants and cafes, mainly in Thiseion, Plaka and Psyrri, 27 percent of these were found to be violating the market code. Next week the Development Ministry will be recruiting another 500 people to its team of inspectors which currently stands at 200.
