The Market Pass aid measure announced by the Prime Minister on Saturday to cover 10% of household spending on supermarkets and other food stores will be activated by a legislative regulation, which is expected to be tabled in the form of an amendment on Tuesday, December 20 in the Parliament.

The measure, according to what Kyriakos Mitsotakis said, will run the February - Julysemester. According to the planning of the government's economic staff, the platform for the submission of applications by beneficiaries is to will open in mid-February, at https://vouchers.gov.gr/marketpass and the first payments will be made at the end of the same month.

The intangible digital card, modelled on the Fuel Pass, will cover purchases:

• in the retail food trade in supermarkets
• pastry shops
• bakeries
• food stores etc.
• but also farmers' markets

Indeed, as Mr. Staikouras speaking today on ERT will not only concern food, but all products sold in these places.

How households will receive the refund with the Market Pass

The model is expected to be similar to the one followed with the Fuel Pass .

Subsidy amounts will be credited monthly to a digital debit card, which can be used exclusively in food retail outlets.

Mr Stakouras said today that the amount will be credited according to the family members on the card each month and if not used, it will not be lost but will be carried over to the next month.

If the beneficiary opts for a deposit in a bank account, the amounts are paid quarterly and the amount of the aid is 80% of the above amounts.

For those who choose to pay into the bank account there will be two payments:

• one on 1 March and
• one in June or July

The beneficiaries of the Market Pass

Beneficiaries are households whose total annual family income amounts to:

• up to EUR 16,000 for a single person household and
• EUR 24,000 for married couples or parties to a civil partnership, plus EUR 5,000 for each child or guest member of the household

For the calculation of the threshold, the 2021 net income recorded in the 2022 returns net of taxes and social security contributions will be used, which increases the perimeter of the measure (3.2 million households out of 4.1 million households in total).

The asset limit is €250,000 for a single person household and €400,000 for married or cohabiting couples and single-parent families.

The monthly purchase limit per household on which the 10% aid is received is €220 for a single-member household, increased by €100 for each additional household member and up to €1,000 of purchases.

Examples of the monthly purchase limit and the amount of aid of the Market Pass

• Single person household: €220 monthly purchases, €22 monthly aid
• Couple without children: €320 monthly purchases, €32 monthly allowance
• Single-parent family with one dependent child: €320 monthly purchases, €32 monthly allowance
• Single-parent family with two dependent children: €420 monthly purchases, €42 monthly allowance
• Couple with one dependent child: €420 monthly purchases, €42 monthly allowance
• Couple with two dependent children: €520 monthly purchases, €52 monthly allowance
• Couple with three dependent children: €620 monthly purchases, €62 monthly allowance
• Couple with four dependent children: €720 monthly purchases, €72 monthly allowance

On this basis, the aid for the six months amounts to €312 for a family with two children. The aid for a couple will be €192. While a large family with four children will receive €432.