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Report
Faced with high prices, Croatian buyers boycott supermarkets
DW (English)
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2/7/2025
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.
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00:00
Every Saturday for the past 30 years, Stjepan Urinac has been commuting to a market near the Croatian capital Zagreb, 150 km from his home.
00:10
There he sells potatoes and grains that were grown on his farm.
00:14
Together with his brother, a cattle breeder and dairy farmer, Stjepan runs a farm in northern Croatia.
00:21
But despite their hard work, they say they are no longer able to compete with imported farm produce
00:26
because the market is dominated by supermarket chains and resellers who are pushing down the prices paid to producers.
00:51
While the cost of local production is rising, including the cost of seeds, fertilizer and fuel,
00:58
the prices paid to producers remain low.
01:02
Stjepan is not willing to sell to supermarkets and resellers because of the low prices.
01:20
They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:22
They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:24
They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:26
They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:28
They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:30
They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:32
They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:34
They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:36
They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:38
They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:40
They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:42
They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:44
They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:46
They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:49
These are the prices.
01:50
While supermarkets and resellers dictate the prices on the market,
01:54
domestic producers are struggling to survive and consumers are struggling to cope.
01:59
The cost of living is rising.
02:01
The annual inflation rate in Croatia is 5%.
02:05
At the same time, the average gross monthly salary in Croatia,
02:09
approximately 1300 euros, is among the lowest in the EU.
02:14
To make matters worse, Eurostat data on 2,000 foods and services
02:19
showed that the cost of food in Croatia is up to 20% higher than the European average.
02:25
I am revolting a lot.
02:27
But if you can't help, you have to buy.
02:29
It's simple.
02:31
But the prices have really gone up by 100%.
02:34
It started with the coronavirus,
02:36
when they started raising prices, while there was still Kuna.
02:39
They started raising prices there,
02:41
and as soon as January came, they all went up.
02:44
I don't know what to say.
02:46
Prices have gone far.
02:47
Today, more than 100 euros is nothing.
02:49
That's why Jozef Kellerman of the association Hey Inspector
02:53
launched a boycott against supermarkets.
02:59
The problem is that we have established that the same market chain
03:03
that, for example, is based in Germany,
03:05
in Croatia, sells the same product on its shelves,
03:09
but, for example, for 190 or more percent more expensive.
03:12
Our salaries have gone up by, I would say, below 10%.
03:17
At the same time, prices have gone up by 60% and 100%.
03:20
It's completely absurd,
03:22
out of proportion to what everyone tells us that we live well.
03:25
No, we don't live well.
03:27
And consumers have said,
03:29
we can't use this anymore,
03:31
not even for our daily needs.
03:33
Come on, so that we can live on a monthly basis.
03:46
Today, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
03:49
Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia, Slovakia, Slovenia
03:53
join us in a similar way in a boycott.
03:56
Will they be able to articulate that without consumers?
03:59
I don't know.
04:01
But in any case, it is impressive
04:03
that we know that we have started a part of Europe
04:06
to finally accept and hear the voice of a consumer
04:09
who was quite minor, quiet and unknown.
04:26
Bosnians seem to be determined to do what they can
04:29
to make their voices heard.
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