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A nationwide boycott of shops, retail chains, and gas stations is taking place across Croatia today in response to the continuous rise in prices. The initiative, launched by the Facebook group “Hello, Inspector” and supported by the European Center for Consumer Excellence (ECIP), has gained significant traction with endorsements from consumer protection organizations, trade unions, political parties, and even the Minister of Economy, Ante Šušnjar.
The campaign was promoted through social media in recent days with messages urging citizens to refrain from making any purchases on January 24. “Today is a boycott in HR against high food prices. People are urged not to buy anything on this day, as if it were Sunday,” read one of the widely shared messages. The movement quickly garnered support from key stakeholders, highlighting the growing frustration over escalating costs.
The Independent Croatian Trade Unions (NHS) issued a statement on Thursday endorsing the boycott, emphasizing that the soaring prices are severely impacting the standard of living and offsetting any gains made in increasing citizens’ incomes. “Price levels and income levels are two sides of the same coin that determines the standard of living in the country,” the NHS stated.
Prominent trade unionist Krešimir Sever believes that boycotting stores is an effective way to combat high prices, citing successful examples from other countries such as Italy, where citizens protested against pasta and coffee prices, Turkey with bakery goods, and the UK with fuel.
Opposition lawmakers have also thrown their support behind the boycott, arguing that while inflation continues to squeeze household budgets, the government is benefiting from increased tax revenues, and retailers are capitalizing on higher profit margins. They criticized the government for its perceived inaction in addressing the root causes of inflation.
Meanwhile, discussions are ongoing at the Ministry of Economy to expand the list of essential products subject to price caps, a measure the government announced last week. Minister Šušnjar has voiced his support for the boycott, acknowledging the importance of consumers demonstrating their collective power.
However, the Voice of Entrepreneurs Association (UGP) expressed disappointment with the Minister’s stance, arguing that the government should focus on implementing tangible measures such as reducing VAT to a uniform rate of five percent on all food products. They also advocate for public sector reforms, digitalization, cost reductions, and increased support for local producers and small businesses to address inflationary pressures effectively.
The true impact of the boycott will be revealed through data from the Tax Administration, which will analyze fiscalized receipts from today to measure consumer participation.
According to Eurostat, consumer prices in Croatia, measured by the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), rose by 4.5 percent in January 2023 compared to the same period in the previous year, marking the sharpest increase since May. Croatia currently ranks among the top three EU countries with the highest inflation rates, trailing only Romania (5.5 percent) and Hungary (4.8 percent). The EU’s overall inflation rate stood at 2.7 percent in December, with the eurozone reporting a slightly lower figure of 2.4 percent.
As Croatians unite in today’s boycott, they hope to send a clear message to policymakers and businesses alike that urgent action is needed to curb the rising cost of living.
Source: Sarajevo Times/Croatia Week