In the eight months from January to August 2022, the average tax-free shopping spend in Athens by tourists with “big wallets”, i.e. elite tourists, amounted to 13,700 euros. In fact, in Mykonos and Santorini, it is estimated that the average duty-free spending of this category of tourists is significantly higher.

This data provided by tax refund services company Global Blue shows at least one of the main reasons for the emergence of luxury brands in this category, mainly fashion and jewelry, while increasing sales of already active brands in both 2021 and and in 2022. in the country, from Rolex watches to the houses of Louis Vuitton and Hermes with their famous bags and scarves.

At the same time, clothing and home goods discount chains, originating mostly in Eastern Europe and Turkey, are springing up like mushrooms after the rain, chains betting on low-income households currently suffering from an inflationary crisis. Thus, simultaneously with the opening of Bulgari boutiques in Bucharest, the first Pepco stores, also known as “Polish Jumbo”, began operating in Greece.

Recently, premium fashion brands Philip Plein, Santoni and CP Company have been added to Attica’s department stores, and in the spring, Attica Department Stores will open a new Hugo Boss store in the Golden Hall shopping center. Earlier that year, the company included French brand The Kooples among the brands placed by Attica City Link, having an exclusive partnership with the company in question. Moreover, a store with famous Hogan sneakers has been operating in City Link for several days. Attica’s portfolio also included the Barbour brand (it was Notos Com’s first), and the English house also has a store in Golden Hall.

Where the luxury brands thrive, of course, is Mykonos, with shops in the city, in Matoyannia, as well as the Nammos Village shopping center on the famous Psaros beach. Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Loro Piana, Guzzi, Valentino, Fendi, Bulgari, Giorgio Armani, Ermano Scervino and many other famous houses are located here.

At the same time that the Bulgari boutique opened in Bucharest, the first Pepco stores, also known as “Polish Jumbo”, opened.

It is expected that the completion of the commercial facilities at Asteras Vouliagmenis marina and then the creation of the Marina Gallery in Elliniko will play a decisive role in the emergence of other luxury homes or further expansion of those already in operation in Greece. one of two malls that are painted there. As a reminder, the Marina Galleria, which will be located right behind the marina in Elliniko, will house the shops of famous fashion houses, and the shopping center, which will be located on the side of Vouliagmeni Avenue, will host chains aimed at the general public. . It is expected that several houses currently operating in the center of Athens and Mykonos, and some of them in Santorini, will also operate in Asteras Vouliagmenis.

The Turkish company Vakko is also specialized in the production of luxury goods and is expected to also start operations in Greece in the near future, as it recently started establishing a subsidiary in our country.

However, low-cost chains also seem to be finding a place in the Greek market, given the increase in low-income households due to the decade-long economic crisis, and the changing population composition with many immigrants settling in recent years, creating a significant audience for them. Polish company Pepco, which has an average basket value of 13 euros in Western Europe, already operates three stores in Greece (two in Attica and one in Larisa), and by the beginning of 2023 this number will increase to ten. In November, he plans to open two more stores in Attica, specifically in Ilion and Maroussi, and two stores in Thessaloniki, while he is already looking for staff to manage the store in Corinth.

Also the Polish group LPP, which has developed a total of five brands (Sinsay, Reserved, Cropp, House and Mohito) in the clothing and footwear sector and has until now served consumers in Greece with two of them through their respective online stores (Reserved by in 2020 and Sinsay this year) now serves customers in Greece through the online stores of the Cropp, House and Mohito brands. However, regarding the development of physical stores, the LPP group plans to do this in Greece only for the Sinsay brand, opening stores from 2023, and then first in the major cities of the country, Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Larissa. and Heraklion, not excluding the subsequent expansion into smaller cities.

Turkish chain LC Waikiki has opened stores from Alexandroupolis to Patras, while Turkish discount lingerie chain Penti has been operating in Northern Greece since last year with physical stores as well as an online store.

Among the recent arrivals of chains not discounters, but for everyone, there are also in the category of sports goods, which include the British JD Sports, which bought 80% of the Greek Cosmos Sport, Sport Depot, a subsidiary of the German Sport group 2000 International and the Serbian Sport Vision.