Athens, January 13, 2026 — The Greek authority has published two new research studies examining how prices are formed in the extra virgin olive oil market, covering both producer pricing across major EU markets and retail pricing in Greece.
The studies, produced by the authority’s market mapping and research unit in cooperation with academics, use econometric models to analyse price trends and competitive dynamics. The work follows the authority’s HCC Datathon held in June 2025, focused on data-driven analysis in the olive oil sector.
Key Findings
In the first study, which examines producer price dependence between Greece, Italy and Spain, the authority found Spain acts as the main regional price setter, with Greece operating as a long-term “follower” that adjusts to Spanish trends. Italy was identified as the main channel for transmitting volatility, reacting more strongly to short-term shocks.
The second study focuses on Greece’s supermarket retail market and found significant differences in pricing strategies across four major chains, both at the supermarket level and by product. The authority said the results do not point to coordinated behaviour, as price interactions vary depending on whether prices are low or high and competitor reactions are asymmetric.
Broader Strategy
The authority said the studies form part of its wider strategy to deepen understanding of food market structures and support targeted interventions to protect consumers and competitive conditions.
