Background information

During the pandemic crisis, many businesses were forced or voluntarily shut down. On the contrary, the food and supermarket retailers, an industry with high rates of flexible forms of employment, not only closed down but also increased their turnover.

The major supermarket chains in Greece, recognizing the extraordinary efforts made by their employees during the pandemic in order to serve the consumers, granted a series of bonuses to their staff, proceeded in new recruitments and gave pay increases. Among the companies were the leading Supermarkets in Greece such as “Masoutis”, “Sklavenitis”, “Lidl Hellas”, “AB Basilopoulos” (Ahold Group) and “Μy Market”.

Content of measure

Supermarket chains in Greece, recognizing the great efforts made by their employees, rewarded their staff by granting bonuses and making new hires. The Masoutis chain, first of all, distributed to its employees the 30% of its annual net profits as an additional bonus. The company SKLAVENITIS granted an exceptional benefit of €5 million at the end of March 2020, while announced 1,000 recruitments. AB Vasilopoulos (Ahold Group) allocated more than €3 million to its employees. The “My Market” company also allocated an additional amount of €2.5 million to its employees. It also made 450 recruitments for its e-shop activity and its distribution centres. LIDL Hellas granted an exceptional benefit amounting to €1.8 million in the form of vouchers.

Use of measure

It is estimated that, the bonuses given to the employees in the supermarket sector, concern over 60,000 food retail workers, increased their income and rewarded them for their significant contribution to the proper functioning of businesses during the lock-down period.

Contents

• Bonuses
• Pay increases

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Particular professions	Does not apply to businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
Company / Companies	Companies

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	No involvement
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: Company level

Involvement

It is an initiative of companies.

Views and reactions

The measure is positive for employees of supermarkets.

Sectors and occupations

Sources

• 01 June 2020: Μπαράζ bonus για τους εργαζόμενους της "πρώτης γραμμής" (www.naftemporiki.gr)