Greek Market FAQs

Understanding Product State and Temperature:

• Solid Gel Packs: The presence of solid gel packs is a good sign. It indicates that the internal temperature of the packaging has likely been maintained well below the freezing point throughout transit. This helps in keeping the products at a safe temperature.
• Soft to the Touch: Products feeling soft to the touch does not necessarily mean they have fully defrosted. Meat and other frozen foods can begin to soften before they actually enter the “danger zone” (8°C to 63°C according to the UK’s Food Standards Agency or 4°C to 60°C according to USDA), where bacterial growth becomes a concern. Softening can occur at temperatures that are still safe, such as just below freezing.

Safety and Refreezing:

• Refreezing Guidelines: If the gel packs are mostly solid and the product has remained chilled (even if soft), it is generally safe to refreeze the product without cooking it first. The solid state of the gel packs suggests the product was kept out of the danger zone.
• Quality Consideration: Although safe, refreezing may affect the texture and quality of the product due to ice crystals that may have formed and then partially melted. This is more noticeable in delicate items like fish or finely sliced meats.

Best Practices for Handling Deliveries:

1. Immediate Inspection: Upon delivery, immediately check the state of the gel packs.
2. Feel the Package: If the product feels cold to the touch, similar to how it would feel in your refrigerator, it is likely that it has been kept at a safe temperature.
3. Refreezing: If the product is soft but cold, and the gel packs are solid, it is safe to refreeze.

Refreezing thawed food is safe if the food has been handled properly and kept at a safe temperature (below 8°C according to the UK’s Food Standards Agency) before refreezing. However, there may be a slight loss in flavour due to moisture lost during the thawing process, especially in delicate items like seafood or ready-to-eat foods.

Although you see to thaw and to defrost used almost interchangeably, there is a difference. To defrost means simply to release from the frozen state, while to thaw as a transitive verb means to cause to become free from the effects of cold (hardness, stiffness, numbness) through exposure to warmth. A frozen product soft to the touch does not necessarily mean it’s been fully defrosted.

Severe weather, natural disasters, and other conditions beyond our control can occasionally disrupt our services.

For DPD service disruption information, please click here.

For UPS service disruption information, please click here.

For DHL service disruption information, please click here.

For Royal Mail service disruption information, please click here.

For Parcel Force service disruption information, please click here.

Occasionally, due to volumetric/weight restrictions, an order consisting of two or more parcels might be delivered in parts separately, at different times on the same day, by different vans/drivers.

This applies only to multiparcel orders. A multiparcel order usually includes a dry-goods parcel and another parcel with your fridge items.

Please check your parcel tracking information for the latest delivery status updates. If you don’t have your individual parcel tracking numbers, please contact us.

Greek Market provides you with the maximum convenience and lets you select the delivery day that suits your lifestyle.

At checkout, select one of the delivery methods (Saturday, Next Business Day (Mon-Fri) or Weekday (Mon-Fri) delivery.

Alternatively, you may select My Collection if you prefer collecting your order from our warehouse in Greater Manchester.

Prime members are eligible for My Prime Delivery (Free Next Day, Free Saturday or any other day Mon-Fri delivery).

During festive periods carrier services are stretched to the limit and our Standard delivery service times do not apply.

Our Next Business Day service, however, can provide you with a priority service.

For more information, please check our Delivery Options & Rates

Prime members orders are not affected.

Please let us know and we’ll track down who it belongs to. We won’t be able to collect it from you at the moment but, thanks to your honesty, we’ll be able to help the customer who’s missing it.

We dispatch frozen products using trusted courier services, ensuring delivery within 24 hours for UK customers. Our specialised packaging guarantees that frozen items maintain their temperature for at least 48 hours post-dispatch.

Upon arrival, you might notice a slight rise in temperature. This brief temperature increase is similar to the duration it takes to transport frozen goods from a supermarket to your home freezer (typically 1 to 2 hours). It’s essential to check the condition of the gel packs included in your package. If they remain mostly solid upon delivery, it indicates that the frozen items are still well below 0°C, ensuring safe consumption. Such items can either be consumed directly, stored in the fridge for a few days, or keep them in freezer.

Bear in mind that products have varying densities; hence, some might feel softer than others when unpacked. Rely on the gel packs’ state as a true indicator of temperature – if they’re mostly hard, the items remain safely frozen.

Yes & No.

Yes, we do offer a Click & Collect service locally (Greater Manchester).

No, we do not offer a universal Click & Collect service, covering the whole country. We are working with our partners in order to introduce this service in the future in cooperation with specific bricks and mortar shops. We’ll let you know when we start adding Click & Collect locations.

Expected delivery time frames apply to in-stock products only. Out of stock products, pre-orders and products with extended delivery times will vary dependent on individual availability. All delivery options are not available for all products.

We recommend not mixing in-stock and pre-order items in the the same order.
Orders that include both in-stock and pre-order products will be dispatched as one consignment when all products become available. This does not affect Prime members.