The winter sales of 2025 continue with open shops on Sunday, January 19, 2025.

Stores can remain open on the first two Sundays of the regular winter sales, January 19 and 26, 2025, with the operating hours suggested by the Athens Chamber of Commerce, from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Malls close at 8:00 PM.

Therefore, shops will also be open on Sunday, January 26, 2025, with consumers combining shopping with a stroll along commercial streets, taking advantage of the significant discounts available due to the winter sales.

Retail businesses must pay special attention to the following:

According to Article 9ι of Law 2251/1994, as amended by Law 5111/2024, any announcement of a price reduction must clearly state the previous price (also referred to as the reference price) upon which the discount is based. The previous price is the lowest price the retailer has applied to each product during the 30 days before the first discount was applied on January 13.

Specifically, for regular discounts, according to the new Code of Ethics (Ministerial Decision 66877/30-8-2024), the price reduction can take the following forms, always under the condition that the previous price, as defined above, is displayed:

• A percentage (%), e.g., “20% off.”
• A specific amount, e.g., “10 euros off.”
• Display of the new (lower) price along with the previous (higher) price that was applied, e.g., “now 50 euros, before 100 euros.” The previous price may also appear crossed out, e.g., “50 euros 100 euros.”

It is reiterated that the previous price refers to the lowest price the retailer applied during the 30 days prior to the price reduction. If the product has been on the market for less than 30 days, the previous price is considered the lowest price during the time the product has been available.

Closing Hours
If the price is progressively reduced during the 60 days before the price reduction is applied, the previous price is considered the price before the first of the successive price reductions. The 60-day rule applies “within” the discounts. However, attention is required: To use the previous price as the one before the discounts, no price increase can occur within those 60 days, even above the reduced prices, as this would automatically invalidate the previous price before the discounts.

Winter Sales 2025: What to Watch Out for During Your Shopping
Consumers are advised to be particularly careful during the sales period.

It is important to:

• Check the original price and the final discounted price of the products.
• Compare prices across different stores to ensure they are benefiting from the best deals.
• Focus on their actual needs, avoiding impulsive purchases.
• Check the quality of the products, especially those offered at very low prices.