KEPKA is a non-governmental, non-profit, independent consumers' organization.
It was established in 1982, was exclusively a private initiative, due to a strong concern on the lack of a concrete consumers' protection policy, in Greece and the difference between the level of protection in Greece and that of the other Member States of the EU. This concern was shared among all the founding members. All these years, we have been trying to raise consumers’ knowledge of their rights, in Greece and protect consumers’ rights.
Our main activities are raising consumers' conscience, protecting consumers' rights, informing consumers on products, services, economic interests, health, nutrition, environmental protection, human rights, ethics and urging the Greek Government to develop a consumer policy towards the improvement of the quality of the consumers' and citizens' lives.
KEPKA has neither commercial activities nor any income coming from political parties, organizations or enterprises. The members' contribution (annual subscription), governmental and EU grants are the only financial sources of the organization.
KEPKA is administered by a 9-member board. Its members are elected by the members of KEPKA, through general voting, every three years. All members of the Board are volunteers, they do not get paid by KEPKA, and they devote their free time to our organization. KEPKA is represented by the President and the General Secretary.
KEPKA represents consumers at local level, at the Consultation Committee of the Municipality of Thessaloniki. At national level, KEPKA represents consumers at the National Consumer and Market Council and the Economic and Social Committee. KEPKA is a member of Consumers’ International (CI), of the European Consumers’ Organization (BEUC), of the European Organization for Standardization (ANEC), of Transatlantic Consumers’ Dialogue (TACD). From 2004 to 2007, our President was the Coordinator of the National Consumer Council, which is a committee advisory to the Ministry of Development. From February 2010, to July 2016 our Gen. Secretary was a member of the European Consumer Consultative Group (ECCG), from September 2010 to September 2020 she was a member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), from November 2010 till April 2018 she was Vice President of Single Market Observatory in EESC and from April 2018 until September 2020 she was Vice President of the Section Transport – Energy – Infrastructure and Information Society in EESC. From February 2012, until September 2020, the President of KEPKA was Alternate Member in the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). From 2013, until 2015 and from 2016 until 2018 the President was a Member of the Executive Committee of Economic and Social Council of Greece.
The following activities are repeated almost every year. Especially in 2024:
1. We edited 54 press releases, in order to inform and advise consumers on many different issues.
2. We advised consumers on the same topics through television, radio and newspapers (about 81 interviews this year).
3. We sent 2.082 letters to Greek Ministers, Authorities, Committees, Members of the European Commission and Members of the European Parliament, National Banks, National Organizations and Committees, BEUC, C.I., General Secretariat for Consumers in order to convince and, finally, press them to act according to consumers’ interests, on 49 issues.
4. The members of the board educated adults, teachers and students, in 2 conferences, seminars etc.
5. We dealt with numerous complaints of consumers and we intervened to solve the dispute between consumers and suppliers, consumers and enterprises (public or private). In 2024, we received 2.384 complaints. Our members were redressed with 200.840,50 euros because of our helping them to solve their problems extra judicially.
6. We participated in 6 surveys.
7. We took action on 21 complex issues.
8. We dispose a website (www.kepka.org), which consumers can visit without any charge and where they can find useful information.
9. We have accounts at facebook, X and Instagram.
10. We participated in national and international fairs, where the visitors had the opportunity to approach KEPKA and be informed about its activities and the services offered.
11. We participated in 114 meetings, conferences etc. organized by public and private bodies with consumers’ protection, where the members of the board set the problems and the demands of consumers.
12. We conducted 6 campaigns to inform consumers on their rights and warn them against possible market traps.
