Changes in the Easter consumption and eating habits of Greeks reflect the results of a survey by the Consumer Goods Retail Research Institute conducted in March 2024 with a sample of 800 consumers from all over Greece.
Specifically, one in four households will travel outside urban centers for Easter, family tables will be smaller with more preparations at home, while spending on shopping remains stable, in 190 euros per household.
What did the IELKA investigation show?
In more detail, the IELKA survey shows that the majority of Easter shopping will take place during Holy Week. In particular, only 35% will make the purchases earlier. 4% will shop next weekend, 53% during Holy Week and 9% at the last minute.
Overall spending on Easter shopping is expected to remain flat with a downward trend based on consumer responses. 40% estimate that they will reduce their purchases, while 34% that they will increase them. 26% believe that it will remain unchanged. On average, it is estimated that this year’s Easter expenditure per household will amount to 190 euros, 120 euros for groceries and 70 euros for other items, such as e.g. gifts
One in four 4 households (26%) declare that they will travel on Easter outside the urban centers to a village or island. This percentage in the previous decade even reached 53%.
Family tables these days will be smaller than in the past. 43% declare that they will participate in large family tables of more than 10 people. This percentage is up from 40% in 2023, but clearly down from 67% in 2019.
At the same time, the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) trend in cooking and baking is growing. In other words, consumers choose to make their own sweets and other Easter items in higher percentages than in the past. The percentage who will make sweets at home rises from 43% to 50% and dyeing eggs rises from 62% to 79%.
As for lamb and goat, lamb spitting although an increase is recorded in relation to 2023, compared to the past, the rates are low. In particular, 33% say they will skewer lamb compared to 32% in 2023, when the percentage in 2019 was 67%. Baking in the oven is recorded increased from 40% to 46%. According to IELKA, this development in combination with the reduced number of people at family tables translates into estimates for purchases of smaller quantities, but also the choice of different “cuts” for the types of meat by consumers. 42% state that they will buy lamb or goat from the butcher, while 31% from the supermarket. A reduced percentage of 9% (versus 12% in 2023) declares that they will have an Easter meal in the catering industry.
