In response to frequent consumer inquiries and repeated media reports about identical or similar retail prices of food products in the Republic of Croatia, the Croatian Competition Agency (CCA), conducted a market study into the grocery retail sector focusing on how prices have been set for ten food products by the six largest grocery retailers in Croatia, including the analysis of the media statements about the suppliers\u2019 plans to increase the purchase prices in 2025.<\/p>\n
The study of grocery retail prices was conducted using a sample of ten randomly selected food products: fresh milk, drinking yogurt, kefir, chicken breast, chicken wings, carbonated natural mineral water, still natural mineral water, carbonated soft drinks, powdered drink mix, and chocolate spread. The sample included both Croatian-made products and several widely recognized international brands. Products subject to maximum retail price regulation under the government Decision on direct price control measures for individual products and product categories in retail trade (OG 17\/25 and 40\/25) were excluded from the study.<\/p>\n
The retail price analysis covered a six-month period, specifically from 1 September 2024 to 28 February 2025. It involved the six largest retail chains in Croatia, based on the data available to the CCA from its regular annual surveys of the grocery retail market.<\/p>\n
In addition, the CCA reviewed the claims published in the media that, at the beginning of 2025, suppliers had notified retailers of the upcoming purchase price increases.<\/p>\n
The data and statements were collected through questionnaires sent by the CCA to the retailers. The retailers were asked to provide the data on the purchase and retail prices of the selected products, applied gross margins, price calculation, and the use of recommended prices. Price list notices from suppliers proposing increases for both food and non-food products between October 2024 and January 2025 were also collected.<\/p>\n
The results of the inquiry showed that, for most of the examined products, the retail prices varied between the retailers during the observed period. The retailers typically adjusted the retail prices on different dates. All participating retailers stated that they independently determined their retail prices and pricing methods, while simultaneously observing the behaviour of competing retailers using publicly available data.<\/p>\n
The retailers cited several reasons for differences in retail prices of comparable products in Croatia versus other countries (e.g., Germany, Italy, Slovenia), including tax burdens, territorial specificities, global and national market trends, and significant food imports into Croatia. Regarding bakery and confectionery products, for which the highest average gross margin was recorded in 2023, the retailers explained this by unusually high write-off rates compared to other products, as well as extra labour and operational costs linked to in-store baking.<\/p>\n
Concerning the suppliers’ notifications to retailers about the planned price increases for food and non-food products, the study found that the suppliers proposed new (higher) prices at different times, reflecting a wide range of increase percentages (from 2.5% to 33%), and varying from supplier to supplier and depending on the specific product.<\/p>\n
After thorough review and comparison of all collected data, and following a legal and economic analysis, the CCA concluded that there have currently been no sufficient indices to initiate ex officio proceeding against the retailers or suppliers in question regarding prevention, restriction, or distortion of competition under Article 8 of the Croatian Competition Act in the sense of prohibited agreements between undertakings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In response to frequent consumer inquiries and repeated media reports about identical or similar retail prices of food products in the Republic of Croatia, the Croatian Competition Agency (CCA), conducted a market study into the grocery retail sector focusing on how prices have been set for ten food products by the six largest grocery retailers […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n