in-cyprus 20 December 2024
The eagerly anticipated e-kalathi price comparison tool has been postponed until 2025, despite recent efforts to launch it before Christmas.
Although system development had reached an advanced stage, officials decided it wasn’t ready for public release following an online demonstration on Wednesday attended by retailers, suppliers, technicians, and the Consumer Protection Service, with the Commerce Minister present.
While the system showed promise, stakeholders agreed it needed further testing and refinement.
Key concerns included the lack of user testing, pending feedback from participating businesses, and the mobile application’s incomplete status, which would have limited users to website-only access.
For the next few weeks, the system will operate internally between supermarkets and the contracted company to identify and resolve issues.
Two to three system trials are planned before the public launch, expected around February.
By then, the mobile application should be ready for consumer download, alongside the necessary ministerial decree for implementation.
The contractor’s original deadline was June 2025, but efforts were accelerated to meet the Christmas target.
The system will initially feature 480 products, eventually expanding to approximately 4,000.
About 20-22 supermarkets with annual turnover exceeding €5 million will be required to update their prices daily, with all products using standardised barcodes for accurate comparison.
