🛒 The supermarket landscape near Victoria
Sklavenítis (Σκλαβενίτης)
The biggest Greek-owned chain — best prices on staples, bread, fresh produce, deli, butcher. The full-format store within 5-7 minutes of Victoria has the widest range. Closes earlier (~21:00 weekdays).
AB Vassilopoulos (Α-Β)
Belgian-owned (Delhaize), wider product range with imported brands. Slightly more expensive than Sklavenítis on basics but better international selection. Late-evening hours at some branches.
My Market
Smaller / convenience format. Fewer fresh items, faster checkout, longer hours. Good for evening top-ups.
LIDL
Discount German chain. Some Athens branches walkable from Victoria. Cheapest on packaged goods, limited fresh selection. Weekly promotions.
Mini-markets / corner grocers
Small family-run shops on every other corner. Higher prices than supermarkets but open late, including some 24/7. The convenience option for forgotten items.
Bakery (fournos)
Bread, pastries, occasionally produce. Bread fresher and cheaper than supermarket bakery sections.
🕐 Opening hours — the critical bit
Mon–Fri
~07:30/08:00 to 21:00 (Sklavenítis, AB). Some "convenience" branches open earlier (07:00) and close later (22:00-23:00).
Saturdays
~07:30/08:00 to 20:00. Slightly shorter than weekday hours.
Sundays
MOST CLOSED. By Greek labour law, supermarkets are generally closed Sundays. A few "tourist exceptions" (small AB Cityon some central tourist streets) operate ~10:00-18:00. The 24/7 mini-markets are the Sunday lifeline.
Public holidays
Closed (1 Jan, 25 Mar, Easter Sun/Mon, 1 May, 15 Aug, 28 Oct, 25/26 Dec). Stock up the day before.
🇬🇷 The Sunday rule (the one that catches everyone)
The Sunday closure
By Greek labour law, supermarkets close on Sundays except for a very limited number of designated "open Sundays" per year (typically 6-8 days, mostly around Christmas and summer holidays). On a normal Sunday in Athens, your options are:
- 24/7 mini-markets — every Greek neighbourhood has 1-3 of these. Higher prices (10-25% premium); covers basics: bread, milk, water, beer, wine, snacks, toilet paper.
- Bakery (fournos) — many open Sunday morning until 13:00-14:00 for bread.
- Periptero (kiosk) — small newsstand-kiosks sell water, snacks, cold drinks, some bread, basic items. Open most hours.
- Eat out / order delivery — restaurants and delivery apps work normally on Sundays. (See delivery apps guide.)
Plan your major weekly shop for Friday or Saturday. Don't expect to do a Sunday-morning supermarket run.
💶 Pricing reality check
Greek supermarket prices for staples in 2026:
- Bread loaf: €1.20-€2 supermarket; €1.50-€2.50 bakery (better quality).
- 1L milk: €1.50-€2 (regular); €2.50-€3.50 (organic / specialty).
- 500g feta cheese: €5-€8 (genuine PDO Greek feta).
- 500g Greek yoghurt: €2-€3.50.
- Half kg ground beef: €5-€8.
- Whole roast chicken: €6-€10 (Sklavenítis deli) vs €8-€12 (butcher).
- 1.5L bottled water: €0.40-€0.80.
- Bottle of retsina: €4-€7 (cheap and decent).
- Bottle of decent Greek wine: €5-€12.
- Olive oil 1L: €7-€14 (extra-virgin Greek).
- Local seasonal produce: 30-50% cheaper than imported.
🎯 The honest store ranking for short stays
- Sklavenítis (large branch) — best for one big weekly shop. Widest produce, best deli, cheapest on staples. ~5-7 min walk.
- AB Vassilopoulos (nearby) — second choice if Sklavenítis is closed or too crowded. Better imported / specialty range.
- Local mini-markets — for evening top-ups, Sundays, forgotten items. Pay 15-25% premium for convenience.
- LIDL — visit only if you're filling an apartment for 1+ weeks; not worth a one-off shopping trip.
- Periptero kiosks — late-night water and snacks; not a real grocery option.
🍅 What to buy at the supermarket vs at specialised shops
Buy at supermarket
Packaged goods, water, milk, eggs, basic cheese, basic bread, household supplies, beer, wine, oil, pasta, rice.
Buy at bakery (fournos)
Bread, koulouri, spanakopita, tiropita — fresher and not much more expensive.
Buy at butcher (kreopoleío)
Better cuts of meat than supermarket; whole roast chickens; specialty sausages. Pricing comparable.
Buy at produce vendor (manaviko) or laiki
Seasonal Greek produce — cheaper, fresher than supermarket. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, leafy greens.
🛍️ Shopping etiquette
- Bring your own bag — supermarket plastic bags cost €0.05-€0.15 each (Greek law). Reusable tote saves money.
- Weigh fresh produce before checkout — at Sklavenítis and AB, you weigh fruits/vegetables yourself at scales in the produce section, sticker the price label, then proceed. Forgetting this slows the line.
- Card and cash both work at all chains; small mini-markets sometimes cash-preferred for sub-€5 purchases.
- Greek hospitality detail: cashiers may chat or banter with regular customers — patience appreciated, no need to feel pressured.
- Trolleys require a €1 coin deposit at most stores; returned when you bring it back.
🎯 The "well-stocked apartment in 25 minutes" plan
Single-shop Sklavenítis run for a 5-day stay (€60-€80)
- Bread (€2), feta 500g (€6), Greek yoghurt 1kg (€4), eggs 6-pack (€2.50), milk 1L (€2).
- Tomatoes 1kg (€2-€4), cucumbers (€1.50), bell peppers (€2-€3), Greek olives 250g (€4), onion (€0.80).
- Whole roast chicken (€8-€10), feta + spinach for spanakopita home-bake (€5).
- Olive oil 750ml (€8), dried oregano (€2), salt + pepper (€2).
- Coffee + sugar (€8), tea bags (€3), 1.5L water × 6 (€3).
- Bottle of red wine (€8), bottle of retsina (€5), 6-pack beer (€8).
- Cleaning basics — dishwashing liquid, multi-surface, sponges, toilet paper (~€7).
Total: ~€70-€80, makes 4-5 dinners + breakfasts + snacks for two people. Versus eating out: easily €40-€80 per dinner for two.
♿ Accessibility
Both Sklavenítis and AB Vassilopoulos large-format stores are step-free with wide aisles, accessible WCs, and disabled parking spaces (less relevant if you walk). Some smaller "city" formats have one or two interior steps.
🎯 FAQ
Are products labelled in English?
Some imported items have English labels; Greek products usually Greek-only. Smartphone translation apps (Google Lens) work well for ingredient lists. Most basic categories are visually obvious.
What about organic / "bio" products?
Both AB and Sklavenítis have small "bio" sections; specialised stores ("Vio" chain) exist in central Athens for fully organic shopping at premium prices.
Halal / kosher options?
Limited at standard supermarkets; ethnic mini-markets in Victoria area sell halal meat. Kosher is harder to find in Athens.
Greek wine and ouzo selection?
Both AB and Sklavenítis have good Greek wine sections. For specialty / boutique wines, visit a kava (specialised wine shop) — better selection, knowledgeable staff.
Bottle deposits?
Greece has limited deposit-return systems. Glass beer bottles sometimes carry €0.10-€0.30 deposits at certain shops; not universal.