Supermarkets: Higher sales in Q1 – Private label products increase their “share”

Organized food retail (stores over 100 sq.m. across mainland Greece, Crete and the Ionian and Aegean islands) remained on a growth trajectory in the first quarter of 2026.

According to the latest data from NielsenIQ, the total FMCG market in food retail posted a 6.6% increase in sales by value from December 29, 2025 to March 29, 2026. Growth was primarily demand-driven, as reflected in a parallel rise in sales volumes (+4.7%). Food and beverages were the main growth engine, accounting for more than half of total FMCG sales value and recording a 7.4% increase. Non-alcoholic beverages, dairy products and snacks made a notable contribution to this expansion.

Other FMCG super-categories also moved higher—personal care and hygiene rose by 3.8%, while home care increased by 3.2%—confirming the broad-based momentum of the market.

Stronger growth in Crete and the islands

By channel, hypermarkets outperformed the market average, expanding by 11.6%. Geographically, Crete and the islands stood out, posting significantly higher growth rates than the national average, at 9.6% and 8.6% respectively, compared with the same period in 2025. Online sales continued to gain ground in organized retail, rising by 21.6% in value terms and significantly outperforming physical stores, which grew by 7.8%. The online channel’s share of total market sales reached 3.4%, with particularly strong contributions from categories such as cleaning products, baby care and non-alcoholic beverages.

Private label share rises

The first quarter of 2026 was also marked by an increase in the share of private label products, which reached 24.6% of total sales value. At the same time, promotions continued to decline, falling to a historic low of around 40% for branded FMCG products, reflecting the impact of the sector’s code of conduct on suppliers’ promotional strategies.