Major disruption has emerged in the retail sector during the busiest shopping month of the year over the planned launch of the e-kalathi (e-basket) price comparison tool, which the government aims to roll out to consumers by December 20.
Retailers have expressed strong reservations about the timeline, citing insufficient preparation for the proper functioning of the electronic application.
The Ministry of Commerce is racing against time to make the e-kalathi available to consumers as soon as possible, hoping it will serve as a valuable tool for holiday shopping.
Industry stakeholders have set specific conditions for e-kalathi’s implementation, arguing that their business names will be publicly listed and they cannot risk their operations or reputation if the system contains incorrect or inadequate information.
Sources say that due to mounting concerns among retail businesses, an emergency meeting was convened this morning at the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KEBE), bringing together suppliers, importers, the supermarket association, and the Pancyprian retail association.
The government is considering launching e-kalathi without issuing the statutory decree, instead opting for a trial period with participation from technically prepared supermarkets.
However, retailers have firmly rejected this approach, adopting an “all or nothing” stance.
Industry sources indicate that the retail sector, which they describe as operating on healthy competitive principles with satisfactory growth rates, has already experienced significant disruption.
Supermarkets and their technical departments have devoted considerable resources to achieve system compatibility during their busiest period.
They have also voiced concerns about potential consumer confusion regarding the product list.
The retail sector has outlined three key requirements:
- The e-kalathi product catalogue must include items with identical barcodes available across all participating supermarkets
- The Ministry of Commerce must issue the necessary decree as required by law to ensure fair competition and equal starting conditions
- A demonstration of the system must be provided before implementation to verify data accuracy and proper functionality
Sources note that even supermarket technical departments have not yet seen the system in trial operation, despite maintaining near-daily contact with the contracted company in Greece.
