The Croatian Competition Agency (CCA) conducted grocery retail market survey (including food, beverages, toiletries and household supplies), in the Republic of Croatia in 2024. The survey covered 41 companies whose turnovers make them the most significant players in the grocery retail market.<\/p>\n
Compared to 2023, the 2024 sample did not include three retailers: La-Vor Trade and Decentia, acquired by Studenac, and TP Vara\u017edin, acquired by the Narodni trgova\u010dki lanac (NTL). However, the qualitative and quantitative indicators of sales outlets previously operated by La-Vor Trade and Decentia were included through questionnaires submitted to Studenac and NTL, ensuring continuity of market monitoring.<\/p>\n
In 2024, the total grocery retail turnover of all retailers in the CCA\u2019s sample amounted to \u20ac8.41 billion. This represents a nominal increase of \u20ac679 million (8.8%) compared to 2023 turnover of \u20ac7.73 billion.
\nThis growth rate, however, slowed compared to 2023, when the turnover grew by \u20ac1.07 billion or 16.1%.<\/p>\n
The slowdown correlates with a decline in consumer price index growth for \u201cFood and Non-Alcoholic Beverages,\u201d measured by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics. In 2024, this index was 3.9%, compared to 12.7% in 2023. This suggests that inflationary pressures contributed to this nominal turnover growth in 2024.<\/p>\n
The number of sales outlets among surveyed retailers reached 5,266 in 2024\u2014126 more than in 2023 (+2.5%). Small shops recorded the largest increase. This growth in outlets was weaker than in 2023 (+144 outlets, +2.9%).<\/p>\n
The total net retail floor space reached 1.63 million m\u00b2 in 2024, an increase of 35,000 m\u00b2 (+2.2%) compared to 2023. The strongest growth was in supermarkets. The rise was slower than in 2023 (+59,000 m\u00b2, +3.8%) compared with 2022.<\/p>\n
Market Structure and Trends in 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n It should be emphasized here that Konzum plus market share, as well as all other retailers’ market shares, are shown as a percentage range since they were marked as business secrets by the retailers themselves.<\/p>\n Out of 41 grocery retailers, 35 recorded turnover growth in 2024.<\/strong><\/p>\n Studenac remained Croatia\u2019s largest retailer by outlets (1,411), mostly small shops and convenience stores.<\/p>\n The Top 10 retailers in 2024 were: Konzum plus, Lidl, Plodine, Spar, Kaufland, Studenac, Tommy, KTC, NTL, and Trgovina Krk.<\/strong><\/p>\n Market Concentration Indicators<\/strong><\/p>\n In 2024 <\/strong>asymmetry between the leader in the market Konzum plus and its second rival Lidl sightly rose. <\/strong><\/p>\n Regional and Local Market Changes<\/strong><\/p>\n Retail leadership shifts by region:<\/strong><\/p>\n Cities of Split, Rijeka, Osijek:<\/p>\n Store Types<\/strong><\/p>\n Supermarkets and hypermarkets together accounted for 72% of turnovers (same as 2023). Supermarkets remain the dominant type of a retail outlet<\/strong><\/p>\n The survey results showed that in 2024, supermarkets generated the highest turnover in the grocery retail market in Croatia, amounting to \u20ac4.4 billion. Compared to 2023, this represents an increase of about \u20ac390 million, or a growth rate of 9.7%.<\/p>\n They were followed by hypermarkets, which in 2024 achieved a turnover of \u20ac1.66 billion, an increase of \u20ac99.5 million compared to 2023, i.e., a growth rate of 6.4%.<\/p>\n Self-service stores generated just under \u20ac1.62 billion in turnover in 2024, with an increase of slightly more than \u20ac108 million compared to 2023, representing a growth rate of 7.1%.<\/p>\n Small shops achieved a total turnover of \u20ac731 million in 2024, an increase of \u20ac81.6 million compared to 2023, i.e., a growth rate of 12.6%. This was also the highest percentage growth recorded among all four outlet types.<\/p>\n Supermarkets as an outlet type continue to dominate the sales structure both in terms of turnover and net sales area. In 2024, grocery retail trade was strongly concentrated in supermarkets and hypermarkets, since more than two-thirds\u2014specifically 72%\u2014of total turnover in the grocery retail market (the same as in 2023) was generated in supermarkets (52.3%) and hypermarkets (19.7%). The structure changed slightly compared to 2023: in 2024, supermarkets accounted for 0.5 percentage points more turnover, while hypermarkets accounted for 0.5 percentage points less.<\/p>\n Looking at the total number of outlets by type, in 2024, as in 2023, self-service stores had the largest share\u201441.3%\u2014followed by small shops (39.9%), supermarkets (15.9%), and hypermarkets (2.9%).<\/p>\n Self-service stores recorded a slight decrease in the number of outlets in 2024, while in 2023 no outlet type recorded a decline.<\/p>\n By net sales area, supermarkets still held the largest share in 2024, accounting for 49.6% of the total, and this share continued to grow. They were followed by hypermarkets with 21.3%, self-service stores with 21.2%, and small shops with 7.9%.<\/p>\n Compared to the previous 2023 survey, in 2024 hypermarkets overtook self-service stores as the outlet type with the second-largest share of net sales area.<\/p>\n Self-service stores recorded a slight decline in net sales area in 2024, while in 2023 no outlet type recorded a decline.<\/p>\n Online sales and loyalty programmes<\/strong><\/p>\n Gross Margin<\/strong><\/p>\n As in 2021, 2022 and 2023, CCA tracked average gross margins for eight categories of products:<\/p>\n The margins were highest for bakery and confectionery, followed by fruit and vegetables. Compared to 2023, margins rose slightly in six categories and fell slightly in poultry\/eggs and fruit\/vegetables.<\/p>\n When comparing average gross margins in 2024 with those in 2023 for the eight observed product categories, the research results show that in six categories there was a slight increase in the average gross margin (meat and meat products, bakery products, milk and dairy products, soft drinks and water, confectionery, and basic foodstuffs), while in the remaining two categories there was a slight decrease in the average gross margin (poultry and eggs, fresh fruit and vegetables).<\/p>\n It should be additionally noted that certain food products, which were included in the observed categories examined by the CCA in 2024, were subject to the Decision on direct price control measures for individual retail products, OG 107\/23, which entered into force on 18 September 2023. The list of products covered by this Decision was expanded to 30 items and included, in addition to food products, a smaller number of non-food products.<\/p>\n Therefore, this should be taken into account when interpreting conclusions about retailers\u2019 average margins for individual product categories.<\/p>\n Furthermore, as of 7 February 2025, a new Decision on direct price control measures for individual products and categories of retail products, OG 17\/25, entered into force. This Decision sets the maximum price levels for certain products and product categories in retail trade to prevent the negative effects of price changes and to eliminate harmful consequences in the market regarding the supply of consumers with certain products in retail trade in the Republic of Croatia, covering 70 products in total. With this Decision, the list of products was expanded to include 40 new items.<\/p>\n Territorial supply constraints (TSC)<\/strong><\/p>\n The CCA expanded its 2024 research to include potential supply restrictions. The undertakings in the sample were asked an additional question to state whether they had directly or indirectly encountered and\/or had knowledge of business practices involving territorial supply constraints (TSC), which have a negative impact or represent a restriction in the procurement of goods.<\/p>\n The questionnaire included an indicative list of unilateral practices and agreements that may constitute territorial supply constraints, in order to give the surveyed undertakings a clearer picture of what such practices might involve.<\/p>\n The indicative list of agreements and unilateral practices that may constitute territorial supply constraints included, for example, the following: refusal to supply in order to prevent exports, deliberate product differentiation by language or packaging, price increases for export products, restricting sales to certain retail customers, and other such practices.<\/p>\n\n
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\nBy number of outlets: self-service stores (41.3%), small shops (39.9%), supermarkets (15.9%), hypermarkets (2.9%).<\/p>\n\n
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