China "floods" the Greek market - 50,000 packages worth 150 euros arrive every day from Beijing
The Greek business community is deeply concerned about the flooding of the domestic market with products distributed by Asian multinational electronic platforms.
Thousands of packages worth up to 150 euros are delivered every day, creating a difficult situation for Greek businesses. According to market representatives, the current reality allows duty-free entry of products mainly from China, at the same time that Greek businesses are burdened with taxes, VAT, customs clearance costs, and must meet compliance requirements with European standards.
The 2 euro "tax" that the EU is considering imposing on packages of goods entering the EU from China and third countries through electronic platforms is considered low, as they argue that it will not compensate for losses and will not stop the advancement of products in the European and Greek markets.
Although the possibility of a tax of 5-7 euros has been on the table in ongoing discussions, according to businessmen, this is not the solution to the problem, as it will be implemented in 2028.
The Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship has already raised the issue at the European level to restrict sales from Chinese platforms such as Shein and Temu, taking an active role in shaping policies in favor of commercial businesses.
In 2024 alone, 4.6 billion packages of goods worth up to 150 euros were imported into the European market, and this leads to unequal competition, traders say, as European and Greek businesses, which adhere to strict quality, labor and environmental protection standards, are forced to compete with products of dubious origin and control.
Today, over 91% of packages worth less than 150 euros imported into the EU come from China, while in Greece it is estimated that up to 50,000 low-value orders arrive every day.
In fact, the US-China trade war has turned the interest of major Asian markets towards Europe and the risk of a "storm" of low-cost products is more than obvious. Currently, these companies are implementing a strategy for more aggressive penetration into EU markets with promotional activities, advertisements, and even subsidies with free shipping for their customers.
In this environment, online sales in Greece continue to accelerate, with Greeks buying everything electronically.
Data for 2025 shows that 74% of citizens use the internet to purchase products and services, while 76.7% reported that they frequently shop online. In fact, 84.4% of consumers prefer to shop from Greek e-stores.
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