Fifteen days were enough to cast serious doubt on the effectiveness of the much-promoted e-kalathi digital platform, which Cyprus' Minister of Energy, George Papanastasiou, had labeled “emblematic.” According to Marios Drousiotis, President of the Cyprus Consumers Association, the platform is more accurately described as “e-kalathaki” (a diminutive, or "little basket").

But it’s not just Drousiotis voicing concerns. Dozens of consumers have contacted Brief to express dissatisfaction, while senior executives from multiple supermarket chains have also raised serious reservations about the platform’s functionality. Retail professionals, many of whom have decades of experience, are echoing the sentiment.

“Unfortunately, the much-hyped digital platform e-kalathi has proven inadequate. It truly is a ‘kalathaki’ in every sense of the word,” said Drousiotis in a statement to Brief.

He criticized the Ministry of Energy for failing to meet consumer expectations, noting that promises were made about providing accessible, up-to-date pricing on nearby supermarket products—promises that, he argues, have not been fulfilled.

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One of the platform’s major shortcomings, according to Drousiotis, is the absence of a locator tool, which significantly undermines its usefulness by not showing consumers the nearest store options.

Additionally, users are unable to compare common products across different supermarkets, which limits informed purchasing decisions.

Another practical issue is that no single supermarket carries all 478 products listed on the platform, making price comparisons fragmented and incomplete. Drousiotis further emphasized that because not all items are available in every store, the system cannot generate full price comparisons.

Top supermarket executives haven’t held back in their assessment. Several describe the e-kalathi platform as a “complete failure.”

They point to the exclusion of private label products, which represent a significant segment of affordable, quality goods that many consumers rely on as an alternative to brand-name options.

Furthermore, supermarkets note the platform’s failure to include everyday essentials such as fresh produce and meat, which are core components of the average shopper’s basket.

Adding to the controversy is the lack of transparency surrounding the platform’s development costs.

To date, no government official has publicly disclosed how much taxpayer money was spent on developing the platform or how many man-hours were allocated to its promotion. There are also no publicly available figures for the maintenance, daily updates, or the printed materials distributed to inform consumers about this so-called “milestone in consumer protection,” as Minister Papanastasiou described it.

It’s worth noting that the e-kalathi model originates from Greece. The Cypriot government adopted the platform’s philosophy wholesale, but critics suggest the implementation has fallen significantly short of expectations.