The country’s independent electricity and natural gas supply companies are, one by one, launching their own retail outlets as a means of bolstering their brand names and providing improved customer services for market gains.

This comes as an extra step following retail collaborations with electronic and telecommunication retailers as well as efforts to lure new customers through call centers and company websites.

Market research conducted by some of these energy sector retailers has indicated a need for improved customer services.

Also GDPR personal data protection restrictions imposed by the European Commission in the EU has limited the ability of firms to reach prospective new customers over the telephone.

In the retail electricity market, power utility PCC remains the dominant player.

The Mytilineos group’s Protergia opened its first Thessaloniki retail outlet last September and also operates outlets in Athens’ Neo Iraklio and Nea Erythrea suburbs.

Heron plans to open its first Athens outlet (140 Kifissias Ave) on June 10. The company, a member of the GEK Terna group, already operates two stores in Thiva (central Greece) and Crete.

Elpedison launched a Thessaloniki outlet on May 21 and also operates a store at 283 Kifissias Ave in Athens.

Watt+Volt is set to launch an outlet in the capital’s Halandri district in a few days and plans to soon launch a further four outlets. It currently operates 20 outlets in 18 cities around the country.