The Croatian government has significantly expanded its price limitation measures, increasing the list of capped products from 70 to 100 items and product categories in the nation’s retail trade.
This decision, which comes into effect on 1 December 2025, is aimed at protecting the most vulnerable segments of the population from inflationary pressures and making essential goods more affordable, particularly during the upcoming holiday season.
Economy minister Ante Šušnjar reiterated that the clear intention of this latest government decision is to shield vulnerable citizens from rising costs, ensuring that they can access daily necessities more easily.
Šušnjar acknowledged that while some critics with above-average incomes might question the measures, the government’s priority remains firmly on protecting pensioners, workers, and others struggling to fill their daily baskets.
“Until we get the population register in the middle of next year, this is the only way we can help our most threatened, most vulnerable groups, and this will be and remain the priority of this government,” Šušnjar asserted.
New And Maintained Price Caps
The decision maintains the maximum retail prices for 70 existing products and categories while adding 30 new items to the controlled list.
These new additions include:
bakery and snacks – mixed unpackaged bread, lollipop pastry, pie and pastry sheets, toast, and ‘petit’ dry biscuits;
frozen and canned goods – frozen squid, frozen spinach, gnocchi, canned sweet corn, frozen pea/carrot mix, and jarred ajvar (a condiment), pickles and bell peppers;
dairy and spreads – milk spread, cooking cream, table margarine, and chocolate spread with added nuts;
meat products – winter salami and ham for pizza;
other groceries – cooking chocolate, mayonnaise in a tube/sachet (to reflect the likely meaning of ‘bag’), honey in a jar, peach compote, non-carbonated apple nectar, and tea filter bags; and
personal care and household – wet wipes for babies, ready-made baby porridge in a jar, hand cream, liquid hand soap, and three-layered paper towels.
Regulations And Enforcement
Retailers are mandated to clearly display a visual identification mark alongside the retail price of these items and place a poster with the mark and a list of capped product categories at their entrance or other visible locations.
Stores larger than 400 square metres must continue to provide separate sections for price-capped items.
Šušnjar emphasised that these are the maximum retail prices, and retailers are encouraged to offer even more favourable prices if market conditions permit.
The government will actively monitor price movements and control the implementation of this decision, ready to react and adjust the measures promptly.
Since February, in monitoring the implementation of previous price limitation measures, the State Inspectorate has levied approximately €500,000 in fines, with some procedures leading to indictments before the magistrates’ court.