ZAGREB: Sales at retailers across Croatia plunged for the second straight week on Friday following calls for a fresh boycott to protest against soaring prices in the Balkan country.

Turnover at retail outlets dropped by 42 per cent compared with the same time two weeks ago, according to Croatia’s tax administration.

“Today we won’t buy anything — neither physically nor online,” read a post by a leading consumer advocacy group that organised the boycott.

As part of the protest, Croatians were urged to refrain from shopping at retail outlets and grocery stores, and avoid using delivery services, banks, restaurants and cafes.

The boycott was also to include shopping online, paying bills or buying fuel.

“Consumers have become prey in the market, where everyone hunts us because we have been quiet and kept silent until now,” consumer rights advocate Josip Kelemen said.

Similar calls for boycotts spread in the Balkans, with social media posts in Bosnia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia urging shoppers to stay home on Friday.

Official figures were not immediately available from those countries.

Croatians were also asked to avoid three large retail chains — Eurospin, Lidl and DM — for a one-week boycott starting on Thursday over alleged price discrepancies with other EU countries.

The boycott was also targeting Coca-Cola and other carbonated soft drinks along with bottled water and detergents.

Across Croatia, grocery stores and parking lots appeared mostly empty on Friday according to posts on social media.

“It’s important to show together that we had enough,” Maja, an economics student said.

The protests come after average food prices soared by more than 30 per cent in the past three years, according to official figures.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2025