A new NielsenIQ study titled “From Aisles to Islands – Shopper Behavior of Tourists in Greece” delivers groundbreaking revelations that will astonish anyone who has never met a tourist, visited a supermarket, or interacted with a living human being. After surveying 2,010 visitors across 14 destinations, the researchers discovered that tourists — brace yourself — buy things.
Yes. They go into stores. And buy items. Revolutionary.
The Headline Findings (Because Apparently We Needed Research For This)
1. 94% of tourists buy groceries
The remaining 6% were either:
- All-inclusive prisoners,
- On a spiritual detox, or
- Lost in a gorge somewhere.
2. Bottled water tops the list at 82%
Water? In Greece? In summer? Who could have predicted such an unpredictable twist?
3. Beer follows at 41%
Shocking. Truly shocking. One wonders what the other 59% drank. Perhaps they attempted to hydrate via tsipouro evaporation.
Tourists Say They Prefer Greek Products
Ah, yes, the classic “support local economy” instinct that lasts exactly until they reach the wine aisle and see a €2 imported rosé on promotion.
The survey claims that tourists choose products based on:
- Greek origin
- Price
- Availability
Translation: They buy what is in front of them, what is cheap, and what they recognize from Instagram.
Where They Shop: A Brilliantly Predictable Breakdown
Hypermarkets & Supermarkets – 40% of spending
This is where tourists perform their “We are adults now, let us stock the Airbnb” ceremony.
Bread. Water. Chips. A hallucination that Greek tomatoes cost 20 cents per kilo everywhere.
Mini-markets & kiosks – For impulse buys
Otherwise known as:
“I need water NOW or I will die.”
or
“That bakery smells amazing, but this packaged croissant is 1 euro and I am lazy.”
Pharmacies & cosmetics stores – For premium items
Tourists enter Greek pharmacies the way Cretans enter church: with reverence, hope, and a small fear of the prices.
Bakeries & local markets – For ‘authenticity’
This is where tourists accidentally discover real Greek food and wonder why their resort buffet tastes like boiled cardboard.
How Tourists Consume: Anywhere But At A Table
The report reveals that tourists mostly consume:
- In their accommodation (translation: over the sink)
- On-the-go (translation: while walking, sweating, or arguing)
Snacking dominates. Of course it does — nobody in this country wants to cook during August, not even the tourists.
Satisfaction Levels
90% Say the Shopping Experience Is Great
They are probably delighted because everything is labelled in Greek and English, the stores are clean, and the AC works.
Also, locating items is easy when the items are always in the same two categories:
- Expensive
- On sale
48% Are First-Time Visitors
Which means half of them never saw:
- A Greek supermarket aisle so full of feta varieties that it becomes a philosophical question
- A kiosk that sells literally everything except the thing they need
- A bakery where you walk in intending to buy bread and walk out with four pastries, a tiropita, and no regrets
Their purchasing habits vary by travel type, duration, and nationality, which is researcher’s language for:
“Of course, the British buy more beer and the French buy more cosmetics. We did not need statistics to know this.”
In Conclusion: Thank You, NielsenIQ, For Confirming the Obvious
Tourists come to Greece.
They get thirsty. They buy water.
They get hungry. They buy snacks.
They reward us with a 90% satisfaction score because Greek supermarkets, kiosks, and bakeries do what they have done for decades: they function.
But look — sarcasm aside — this data is useful for tourism planning, retail forecasting, and FMCG strategy. It just also happens to be absolutely hilarious.
