Attack on high prices set to begin
During what has been labeled the «year of competition» by the government, officials are now turning their attention to combating a lack of competitiveness and high prices in certain sectors, sources said yesterday. The Development Ministry and the Competition Commission have embarked on a number of studies into various markets to get a snapshot of how competitive these markets are and what kind of impact this has on the prices paid by consumers. Officials are due to meet at the Development Ministry today to discuss the state of the dairy industry. The ministry has also launched a probe into the price of detergents in Greece compared to other European countries. The Competition Commission is also examining the sale of soft drinks, juices, bottled water and frozen vegetables for evidence of profiteering. Last month, the commission proposed the imposition of a 15-million-euro fine on the Association of Greek Supermarkets (SESME) and a total fine of 1.8 million euros for seven supermarkets that allegedly colluded to set minimum prices for some goods.
