Angry Greeks boycott the shops

Millions of Greeks yesterday vented their growing anger with rising prices in the wake of the introduction of the euro by boycotting shops and services nationwide.

From the resort island of Crete to the northern shores of Salonika, shops remained empty as buyers protested against increases of more than 200 per cent on some goods.

With business last night down by as much as 80 per cent, organisers of the boycott said the action had highlighted the consumer unrest triggered by the transition to the new currency across the euro zone.

"It was overwhelmingly successful," said Haralambous Kouris, head of the Institute for Consumer Protection, the main force behind the boycott. "And it is just the beginning. People have had enough of being ripped off."

Polls yesterday showed that 70 per cent of Greeks blame the blatant profiteering on retailers rounding up prices since the currency conversion. In tourists resorts, especially on the islands, prices at restaurants, supermarkets and petrol stations have risen sharply in the past eight months.

The socialist government yesterday appeared to give its blessing to the boycott. "I believe a message must be sent throughout the market that inflating prices and deceiving consumers because of the new currency will not be tolerated," said finance minister Mr Nikos Christodoulakis.

Officials said the minister had drawn up a list of businesses that had raised prices, which he would release to the public in the coming weeks. Consumer groups in Athens say average prices of goods have increased by 10 per cent this year.

The Greek government is particularly concerned about the impact the price increases have had on overall inflation, which at 3.3 per cent is already one of the highest in the euro zone.

Greece, the last member state to join the euro in 2001, has been told it must maintain the stringent economic criteria outlined by Brussels if it wishes to remain part of the group. - (Guardian Service)