People are getting ready for New Year's parties. But they will likely still pay a lot for their celebrations. Prices for New Year's food are almost the same as at Christmas. The Cyprus Consumers Association says prices have not changed much. Only some vegetables are a little cheaper.
Marios Drousiotis leads the Consumers Association. He said price changes are very small. "We see small drops for tomatoes and cucumbers," he said. He also said these small changes do not make a big difference. Prices are staying the same. This is a problem. Holiday food prices went up recently.
A study looked at prices in Nicosia. It checked four big supermarkets. The cost of a Christmas meal was about 9% more than last year. Supermarkets have the same prices everywhere in Cyprus. So, this is happening across the country. The study looked at different types of meals. A big meal for a family of four costs about €160. A simple meal costs about €33.
Because prices are still high, the Consumers Association asked for a report. They want to check the e-Kalathi app. This app helps people compare prices. It started this year. But after six months, the app is not helping as much as planned. People hoped it would help save money. The association thinks more needs to be done. They want fairer prices for everyone.