With loans or with credit card pay accounts six out of ten Greeks, more than one in three have left at least one payment late and almost half have used the «Buy now, pay later».
These are three different ways in which borrowing, crediting and transferring a payment now enters the day-to-day management of financial obligations. All three are listed in Intrum's European Consumer Payment Report 2026, which gives separate data about Greece and allows them to compare with the rest of Europe.
The most characteristic finding concerns themselves accounts. According to the report, 60% of consumers in Greece have stated that within the last six months he has borrowed money or used a credit card to pay bills. In Europe the corresponding percentage is 56%.
In simple terms, six out of ten had to resort at least once to a loan or credit card for payment accounts. Intrum itself connects the find to the growing role borrowed acquires in managing daily economic pressure.
For a significant portion of households, at the same time, payments are not always made on time. 37% of Greeks say that within the last 12 months they have delayed payment of at least one account, compared to 29% on average in Europe. That is, more than one in three were found at least once in a year with an obligation that passed its payment date.
The same image, from a different perspective, gives the great spread of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL). Instead of the entire amount of a market being paid at the time it is made, this service enables the payment to be made later.
In Greece this practice has already passed to much of the consumers. 47% state that he used a service «Buy now, pay later» In the last 12 months, 40% in Europe.
The report also explains why. Among Greeks using BNPL, 42% states that it chooses to avoid paying the entire amount of the market immediately, while 24% cites additional benefits as incentive, such as loyalty programs.
This possibility even begins to affect not only how a person pays, but also where he will shop. 48% of Greeks declare that it is more likely to purchase than a business if it offers the Buy Now option, Pay Later.
Social media also enters the equation. According to the same report, 16% of Greeks state that the pressure from lifestyle standards seen on social media has led to the creation of debts. The percentage remains at the same levels as 2025.
Finally, there is a new parameter in money management: Artificial Intelligence. 37% of Greeks are particularly familiar with tools such as ChatGPT to understand economic terms and conditions, while 40% think that AI can help to make debt management processes more consistent and fair.
Even more practical is another finding: 41% would feel comfortable using a digital assistant to address a payment problem or even to organize a repayment plan.
The Greeks, however, want human support. 49% states that he would trust Artificial Intelligence more if he knew there was a possibility to speak to a man or advisor when he needed it.
The European Consumer Payment Report 2026 is based on a survey of 20,000 consumers in 20 European countries, with at least 1,000 respondents from each country.
