Filenews 17 September 2021 - by Angelos Nikolaou
The Pancyprian Association of Supermarkets expresses its strong dissatisfaction and indignation regarding the ongoing measures concerning SafePass in food stores.
In a letter to the Minister of Health, Michalis Hadjipantelas, the executive secretary of the Association of Supermarkets, Andreas Hadjiadamou, characterizes the continuation of this measure for food stores as wrong. "All it achieves is the constant conflict and confrontation of entrepreneurs with customers on an ongoing basis, which tends to evolve into a disaster for the businesses themselves, threatening them even with closure," he adds. It talks about two-tier shops since some carry out strict controls and others not at all.
It further notes that the situation is greatly aggravated by the continuous fines imposed, which are extremely predatory, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. "How is it possible that a small and medium-sized food business can survive when it is fined €8,000 and €4,000 because SafePass may not have been checked for a very short period of 3-10 minutes before closing time and there were two customers in the store inside?" he asks. He points out that it is obvious that ceding and giving too much power to some leads nowhere.
Through this practice and approach on the part of the authorities, he notes, any measures taken will have no effect and provoke the great reaction of both citizens and businessmen who from morning to night fight to keep their businesses operating under extremely difficult conditions. "Citizens and businessmen cannot be the police every day. Their job is to toil and fight for the future of their businesses and to cooperate and establish trust with their customers, especially in the food retail sector", he adds.
He warns that if this measure continues to be in place (SafePass for grocery stores), shopkeepers are ready to take drastic and effective measures to save their businesses.
