Shopping boycott in Croatia/ Causes almost 50% less turnover

2025-01-26 15:33:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Sales in Croatia fell on January 24th after a nationwide shopping boycott in protest of rising food prices and high inflation in the Balkan country, official figures showed.

The protest, which was instigated by consumer groups, aimed to increase pressure on retailers who they blame for rising inflation.

The call for a boycott was spread across social media, urging Croatians to "not buy anything."

By 11:00 a.m., stores had issued 40 percent fewer invoices compared to the same period last Friday, the state tax administration said in a statement.

Overall turnover was 47 percent lower compared to last week, the administration added.

Around noon, only a few customers were shopping at a supermarket in central Zagreb, which is usually crowded during the day, AFP reported.

"Sellers will not be harmed financially, but this is an important symbolic message that price increases must be stopped," Danko Horvat, a citizen from Zagreb, told AFP.

Consumer groups expressed satisfaction with the public response.

Shopping boycott in Croatia/ Causes almost 50% less turnover

The boycott shocked retailers, said Josip Kelemen, from the consumer protection group "Hello, Inspector", which called for the protest.

"People feel cheated ," Kelemen said. "Even those who are rich have supported us, they feel the same way."

The boycott has also been supported by opposition parties, trade unions, several prominent figures, and two ministers.

Local media reports and social media posts have shown empty stores across Croatia.

Friday's boycott is an important message from citizens that will be taken into account, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said, public broadcaster HRT reported on January 24.

"It is an important message from citizens that they monitor and compare prices and assess that some of these prices are unacceptable compared to similar or identical products that are abroad. Nowadays, technology allows us to easily compare product prices with prices in other countries. The message from citizens is important and will be taken into account when determining measures for administrative price restrictions for some products, measures that the Government will adopt next week," Plenkovic said during a Government meeting.

According to experts, inflation in Croatia has been largely driven by the state's bloated public sector, the high Value Added Tax rate – the highest in the European Union – as well as Croatia's aging and shrinking population.

In December last year, annual inflation in Croatia reached 4.5 percent – ??the highest in the Eurozone, where the average inflation is 2.4 percent.

According to official data, the average net salary in Croatia in November was 1,366 euros.

Consumer groups have repeatedly complained that prices in Croatia have been rising steadily since the country adopted the euro as its currency in January 2023./REL