The festive opening hours of supermarkets and click-away stores are co-ordinated this year by the lockdown and the covid-19 pandemic.

More specifically, supermarkets and shops will be closed on Saturday, 26/12/20, while they will open on Sunday, 27/12/20 with different opening hours.

Already, several supermarket chains have announced that they will be open from 09:00 to 19:00. This is an optional operation of the shops, so consumers should contact the business to confirm whether they are open or not. Shops serving consumers by this method click away can stay open during this period from 7:00 to 21:00.

The supermarket and shops will return to «normal» operation from Monday, 28/12. As far as shops are concerned - apart from bookstores - the only possibility to transact business is the click away, i.e. the receipt of a product for which a pre-order has been placed. Payment in the store can only be made by debit or credit card or via mobile devices with the NFC application that allows e-banking services to communicate with the POS of a business.

Opening hours for supermarkets and shops until the New Year

The supermarket will also open on the eve of New Year's Day, 31 December, with opening hours 8:00 - 20:00, but will be closed on 1 January 2020 due to a public holiday. The same will apply to commercial shops.

The SMS and all codes for the message to 13033

For each journey, citizens must carry their identity card or passport, as well as a completed movement confirmation form (printed or handwritten) or the Confirmation SMS to show in case of an audit.

In particular, the citizen must declare with sms to 13033 the following:

his full name,
the address of his/her residence
and the ratio corresponding to leaving the house.

In detail the IDs

This is provided for in the new decision published in the Government Gazette, which amends the previous decision and concerns the measures applicable throughout the territory for the period from Sunday 13 December 2020 at 6:00 a.m. to Thursday 7 January 2021 at 6:00 a.m.

It is recalled that the Shops cannot operate in the municipalities, where a strict lockdown has been imposed.

For shops, the following operating conditions apply:

Four persons up to 100 sq.m. and one person for every 10 sq.m. extra.
A distance of one and a half metres between the individuals.
Specific disinfection of wheeled and non-wheeled trolleys/baskets, where they exist, with the development of a daily disinfection programme to be demonstrated to the competent authorities.
Opening hours until 21:00, with the exception, as regards food shops, of the operation of delivery services, which is allowed to operate until 1:00.
Food businesses are prohibited from selling, with the exception of telephone and electronic commerce, as well as the remote pre-purchase/pre-selection of goods via electronic or telephone order (click away), products with the following Activity Codes:

α) Retail sale of computers, computer peripherals and software in specialised stores/SC 47.41,

(b) retail sale of telecommunications equipment in specialised stores/COD 47.42,

(d) retail trade services of textiles in specialised stores, except for retail trade services of bedding and mattresses (SIC 47.51.51.08), retail trade services of blankets and travelling rugs (except electric blankets) (SIC 47.51.51.17) and retail trade services of quilts (SIC 47.51.51.29)/SIC 47.51.51,

(e) retail sale in specialised stores of carpets, rugs, carpets and wall and floor coverings in specialised stores/CAD 47.53,

(f) retail sale of electrical household appliances in specialised stores, except for the retail sale of plugs, sockets and other devices for breaking or protecting electrical circuits not elsewhere classified [Decree No.etc.] (SIC 47.54.54.07), retail trade services of electric heating resistors (SIC 47.54.54.12), retail trade services of electric blankets (SIC 47.54.54.13), retail trade services of electric space and ground heating appliances (SIC 47.54.54.16)/SIC 47.54.54,

g) retail sale of furniture, lighting fixtures and other household articles in specialised stores, except for the retail sale of lighting fixtures of the type used in Christmas trees (ND 47.59.56.16), the retail sale of spare parts (p.e.g. light bulbs), the retail sale of brooms and brushes for household cleaning (SIC 47.59.58.35), the retail sale of brooms and brushes for household cleaning (SIC 47.59.58.37) and the retail sale of household gas appliances (SIC 47.59.58.38)/SIC 47.59,

(h) retail sale of toys of all kinds in specialised stores, except retail sale of imitation Christmas trees in specialised stores (SIC 47.65.67.02), retail sale of festive articles in general (SIC 47.65.67.06), retail sale of festive, carnival and other entertainment articles, etc. (SIC 47.65.67.07)/SIC 47.65,

(i) retail sale of clothing in specialised stores, except for retail sale of tights (SIC 47.71.71.43), retail sale of men's or boys' coats, overcoats, semi-coats, caps, liners, anoraks, raincoats, windcheaters and similar articles (SIC 47.71.71.08), retail trade services of women's or girls' coats, overcoats, semi-coats, caps, cloaks, liners, anoraks, waterproofs, windproofs and similar articles for women and girls (SIC 47.71.71.22) and retail trade services of umbrellas (SIC 47.71.71.48)/SIC 47.71 and

(j) retail sale of footwear and leather goods in specialised stores, excluding retail sale of footwear in specialised stores (SIC 47.72.72.02)/SIC 47.72.

Public service and meetings

According to the amendments to the decision, as regards the provision of services to the public only in urgent cases and by appointment, it is provided that banks and cases in which an appointment cannot be scheduled (courier companies, Greek postal services, ELTA, PPC, EVDAP, etc.) are excluded.

With regard to meetings it is foreseen that: «Especially for the days 24, 25, 31 December 2020 and 1 January 2021, gatherings are allowed, with a maximum of 9 participants from up to 2 families».

Sports activities

The same GG stressed that from 1 January 2021 also allowed the operation of sports facilities for training without the presence of spectators of groups participating in the championships of the A’ category basketball women, women's volleyball, water polo men-women and handball men-women.

Hunting and fishing allowed

The movement of hunters or fishermen for hunting/fishing is also allowed under the following conditions:

This movement takes place exclusively within the relevant Regional Unit, or exceptionally in the case of Attica within the boundaries of the Region,
participation of up to two hunters/fishermen for safety reasons,
the application of all measures to protect public health during the activity in question.
Especially in the case of hunting, in addition to the movement certificate (Type B certificate), a valid hunting permit is required.

Visit to cemeteries

Specifically, for the period from 25 December 2020 to 2 January 2021, up to two persons are allowed to travel for the purpose of visiting cemeteries and specifically only to the place of burial or for the performance of ceremonies.