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A tool meant to help Cypriot shoppers save money may be leading them astray, the Cyprus Consumers’ Association warned Monday.
The online price comparison platform e-kalathi, launched in June 2025 to help consumers find the cheapest supermarket and promote competition, “has become a tool that can lead to deception,” the Association said in a statement.
After seven months of operation, the watchdog says there are “strong indications” that some supermarkets appear cheaper than they really are. For example, a strawberry-flavored children’s yogurt listed in e-kalathi might be priced lower than the same product in other flavors, which aren’t included on the platform. That can make shoppers think one store is the bargain winner, while in reality other products may cost more.
Among seven major supermarkets examined—Alpha Mega, Sklavenitis, Athienitis, Kkolias, Ioannidis, Super Discount, and Metro—only Athienitis and Ioannidis kept prices consistent across all flavors, the Association found. Meanwhile, some products included in e-kalathi were being sold for less than €2, even though the manufacturer’s wholesale price is €2.75, raising further questions about pricing practices.
The Association also noted that most supermarkets don’t list all their products in e-kalathi, and the total number of items on the platform has declined over the past month, making price comparisons even trickier. In two nationwide chains, the selection is “extremely low,” limiting shoppers’ ability to truly compare.
Another concern: prices for the same product can vary between branches of the same supermarket, a practice that didn’t exist before August 2025. The Association suggests this may be linked to local competition but warns it can confuse consumers.
Data also shows that the price gap between the most expensive and cheapest supermarkets is shrinking. In July 2025, the difference in total costs for common products was 13%; by January 2026, it had fallen to 4.4%. While that might sound good, the Association cautions that e-kalathi’s selective pricing could mask the true cost differences, potentially misleading shoppers about which supermarket is cheapest.
The Cyprus Consumers’ Association says these findings are based solely on what is recorded in e-kalathi, and further investigation is needed to understand the broader impact on consumers.
“This tool was meant to empower shoppers,” the Association said. “Instead, it risks confusing them and undermining trust in price comparisons.”
