Faced with high prices, Croatian buyers boycott supermarkets

DW (English)

As both supermarket prices for consumers and the cost of food production for local farmers rise, some people in Croatia are taking action in an attempt to rein in the power of supermarkets and resellers, who they feel are keeping prices high.

Transcript

00:00Every Saturday for the past 30 years, Stjepan Urinac has been commuting to a market near the Croatian capital Zagreb, 150 km from his home.

00:10There he sells potatoes and grains that were grown on his farm.

00:14Together with his brother, a cattle breeder and dairy farmer, Stjepan runs a farm in northern Croatia.

00:21But despite their hard work, they say they are no longer able to compete with imported farm produce

00:26because the market is dominated by supermarket chains and resellers who are pushing down the prices paid to producers.

00:51While the cost of local production is rising, including the cost of seeds, fertilizer and fuel,

00:58the prices paid to producers remain low.

01:02Stjepan is not willing to sell to supermarkets and resellers because of the low prices.

01:20They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.

01:22They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.

01:24They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.

01:26They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.

01:28They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.

01:30They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.

01:32They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.

01:34They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.

01:36They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.

01:38They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.

01:40They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.

01:42They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.

01:44They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.

01:46They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.

01:49These are the prices.

01:50While supermarkets and resellers dictate the prices on the market,

01:54domestic producers are struggling to survive and consumers are struggling to cope.

01:59The cost of living is rising.

02:01The annual inflation rate in Croatia is 5%.

02:05At the same time, the average gross monthly salary in Croatia,

02:09approximately 1300 euros, is among the lowest in the EU.

02:14To make matters worse, Eurostat data on 2,000 foods and services

02:19showed that the cost of food in Croatia is up to 20% higher than the European average.

02:25I am revolting a lot.

02:27But if you can't help, you have to buy.

02:29It's simple.

02:31But the prices have really gone up by 100%.

02:34It started with the coronavirus,

02:36when they started raising prices, while there was still Kuna.

02:39They started raising prices there,

02:41and as soon as January came, they all went up.

02:44I don't know what to say.

02:46Prices have gone far.

02:47Today, more than 100 euros is nothing.

02:49That's why Jozef Kellerman of the association Hey Inspector

02:53launched a boycott against supermarkets.

02:59The problem is that we have established that the same market chain

03:03that, for example, is based in Germany,

03:05in Croatia, sells the same product on its shelves,

03:09but, for example, for 190 or more percent more expensive.

03:12Our salaries have gone up by, I would say, below 10%.

03:17At the same time, prices have gone up by 60% and 100%.

03:20It's completely absurd,

03:22out of proportion to what everyone tells us that we live well.

03:25No, we don't live well.

03:27And consumers have said,

03:29we can't use this anymore,

03:31not even for our daily needs.

03:33Come on, so that we can live on a monthly basis.

03:46Today, Bosnia and Herzegovina,

03:49Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia, Slovakia, Slovenia

03:53join us in a similar way in a boycott.

03:56Will they be able to articulate that without consumers?

03:59I don't know.

04:01But in any case, it is impressive

04:03that we know that we have started a part of Europe

04:06to finally accept and hear the voice of a consumer

04:09who was quite minor, quiet and unknown.

04:26Bosnians seem to be determined to do what they can

04:29to make their voices heard.

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