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Greece's economic crisis has created a new category of consumers among the Greeks - the "newly poor" who come from the middle class, live in Athens and are constantly increasing.

The emergence of this new class, which naturally spends less because its purchasing power is inadequate, worries traders and industrialists, and shows, and turns, the course of Greek society.

The “newly poor” in Greece represent a significant percentage of the middle class and this fact now constitutes a serious problem for trade and industry, as noted by Dimitris Mavros, CEO of MRB HELLAS.

He draws attention to the differentiation which nowadays afffects consumer values ​​and emphasizes that the “newly poor”, especially in Greece, are a new category of consumers towards which companies will need to pay special attention and show care and knowledge of the customer’s real problems.

According to consumer research on the “newly poor” conducted by MRB Hellas, 74.9 percent of respondents compare prices more often than before, 65.3 percent seek low prices more often, 54.1 percent more frequently prefer discount coupons, 73.5 percent buy expensive goods less and less, 73 percent are buying fewer goods, 70.6 percent delay purchasing items, 68.9 percent buy less goods, 68.5 percent keep goods for longer, 60.8 percent buy smaller packages or quantities, 61.1 percent buy more domestic production goods and 60.3 percent visit stores that offer discounts.

It is noted that 25.1 percent of respondents agree with all of the above consumer habits and are “newly poor” as every second one of them belongs to the middle class.

The study also indicates that 54.3 percent of the “newly poor” live in Athens, 9.4 percent in Thessaloniki and 36.3 percent – in the rest of Greece.

Another interesting point in the study is that the “newly poor” feel guilty and their right to dream is being affected, and therefore their ability to act.

Also, according to the survey, in the next 12 months 37 percent of the average Greeks will experience difficulties in terms of expenses, even for food, and nearly 50 percent of the “newly poor” will have the same problem. Furthermore, the survey shows that 18.2 percent of the average Greeks will reduce food expenses even during next year, and 20 percent of the “newly poor” will do the same.