Greece resells expired products

ATHENS – Anadolu Agency

The authorities in Greece’s Attiki region has decided to sell expired products at lower prices. REUTERS photo

Expired products are to be re-released at lower prices in markets in Greece, where most of the citizens are currently facing difficulties to make ends meet.

The products with expired dates will be labeled as “no longer preservable product,” and will be sold on separate shelves at markets and grocery stores, according to the decision taken by Athens Chamber of Craftsmen. The new regulation that will be effective as of Sept. 1 will comprise the Attiki region, which includes the capital Athens and half of the Greek population.

The regulation is aimed at aiding financially the hard-up Greek citizens who have been hit by the crisis itself as well as the austerity measures imposed on the government by its international lenders.

The sellers will be responsible for preserving and consuming the products healthily.

The expiration dates of the foods and drinks that re-entered the market will be extended by up to three months, based on the characteristics of the goods. The mass-serving facilities like restaurants or food halls will be excluded from the practice.

The sellers who violate the rules by putting “easily perishable products,” into the market will be fined up to 5,000 euros.

Greece may need a further 10 billion euros in extra support from its eurozone partners but would not expect any loan to come with conditions attached, its finance minister said recently.

Mired in its sixth straight year of recession, Greece has already been bailed out twice since 2010 with 240 billion euros of loans coordinated by the ECB, European Union and International Monetary Fund.
Greece has been forced to accept severe austerity measures, including massive public servant layoffs, dictated by the Troika, to meet the conditions of receiving loans.

Greece’s recession eased slightly in the second quarter but its jobless rate hit a new record high of 27.6 percent in May.