With the exception of the food market, the movement in the retail trade was "quite numb" in the days leading up to Easter, when most of the restrictive measures to curb the pandemic were lifted.
"The food market, supermarkets, butchers and fruit shops had high traffic and consequently good turnovers. The rest of the retail trade - with an asterisk in the children's clothing - moved at quite low levels, "said the General Secretary of the Retail Trade Association, Marios Antoniou, on state radio.
Regarding the movement in food, Mr. Antoniou stated that "consumers were restrained" but without being deprived of any of the goods that are traditionally on the Easter table.
12% more expensive than last year the household basket
The increase in the prices of the products that make up the household basket, is estimated at a total of 12% compared to last year. As Mr. Antoniou said, there are products that show an increase of around 20%. But there are other products whose increases are in the range of 6% to 7%.
Uncharted waters for the movement of prices
Any estimate and forecast for the course of prices in trade, would be risky, said Marios Antoniou. "The situation is quite dynamic. What we also record is that every day there can be data variations and we have new price increases. What is certain is that at least the last 2 weeks or so we have seen a relative stabilization. "I hope we have reached the peak and there will be an improvement from May," he underlined.
The important thing is that when inflation starts to deflate, "to see the corresponding reductions in commodity prices" whose increases are largely justified by rising energy and raw material costs.
No shortage in any product
Finally, Mr. Antoniou was reassuring regarding the issue of lack of products from the market. "There is no concern about the shortage. There is no shortage of food or other retail products. Certainly there are delays in shipments from abroad, something that started during the pandemic and is now continuing due to the war in Ukraine. "Therefore, traders anticipate and place their orders early enough to reach the Cypriot market within the required time."