Croatia

2023 saw many of Croatia’s lodging operators facing huge pressure on their margins as the impact of high inflation hit their cost structures from two angles. On the one hand, dramatic increases in the cost of fuel and numerous other inputs over the…

Direct selling exceeded pre-pandemic sales in 2022 as the channel sought to recover from the severe impact of restrictions on selling door-to-door. However, much of the current value growth in 2022 was driven by higher retail prices as inflation took…

The preference for herbal/traditional products has grown in recent years, driven by the rising demand for natural and clean ingredients. This trend is evident across the whole of consumer healthcare, but is particularly prominent in paediatric…

Plant-based milk is gaining popularity in Croatia, as evidenced by the growing percentage of the population now purchasing them. Plant-based milk products are most commonly purchased by higher-income groups living in urban areas. Even though the…

Driven by a greater consumer focus on health and wellness, sales of herbal/traditional products are recording further growth in 2023. There is a growing preference for herbal/traditional over standard products as herbal medicine is deeply rooted in…

E-commerce continued to gain significant value share in 2022 as part of the ongoing development of this category. Many consumers sought out cheaper prices online as the cost of living crisis hit many Croatian households. On balance, Croatia is seeing…

Despite the recovery of pre-pandemic lifestyles, with Croatians returning to office workplaces and spending less time at home, margarine sales continue to decrease. In recent years, margarine has been labelled as a less healthy option than butter,…

Growth in retail volume sales of ready meals in Croatia in 2023 looks set to be up substantially on 2022, with all categories expected to post improved results in this respect. This is mainly explained by the return to pre-pandemic routines, in that…

Consumers are paying more attention to the safety and origin of food and drinking milk products, and are looking to support local brands as much as possible. This is especially true as the economy falters. A national food designation scheme entitled…

Croatia has largely recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, with the boost in summer tourism supporting sales growth in non-grocery retailing. Tourism is an important part of the local economy, but the pandemic restrictions had stifled visitor numbers…

Other hot drinks is expected to register slight volume growth in 2023. That being said, continuing rising prices is still hitting profit margins and constant value sales are expected to fall. Ongoing population decline also dampens sales somewhat.…

Despite aligning with the growing preference for healthier snacks, fruit snacks are expected to be among the weakest performing categories in 2024 in Croatia, with minimal volume growth. This trend is primarily driven by significant price hikes.…

Despite strong rising prices, all away-from-home tissue categories in Croatia recorded growth in 2023 due to a remarkable tourist season. Despite inflation and general economic insecurities, inbound tourists have bounced back in the post-pandemic era…

Smokeless tobacco, e-vapour products and heated tobacco in Croatia performed well overall in 2023, although chewing tobacco and moist snuff remained negligible. Both e-vapour products and heated tobacco are on an upward retail volume sales…

Within processed fruit and vegetables, frozen variants are expected to see the strongest current retail value sales growth in Croatia in 2023. The popularity of these products can be attributed to many factors, including their long shelf life, which…

After declining in 2022, overall retail volume sales of cooking ingredients and meals in Croatia are set to increase moderately in 2023. This recovery is partly explained by the gradual easing of inflationary pressures linked to the global recovery…

The dairy products and alternatives category is on course to experience limited growth in retail volume and current value sales in 2023. The unstable economic climate is hindering retail volume sales with the increase in fuel prices and the war in…

Weight management and wellbeing has a very strong foundation to maintain its current consumer base and expand upon it as around 35% of children and 65% of adults are either overweight or obese in Croatia. For the last decade, Croatians have developed…

Plain noodles are key ingredients in many Asian dishes and are therefore seeing strong demand as this cuisine continues to be popular amongst Croatians. Demand also continues to be supported by noodles’ quick preparation time. In addition, given the…

As the Croatian population was required to stay at home for extended periods in 2020 and 2021, due to COVID-19 regulations, yoghurt experienced a shift in consumer perception and usage. Historically, yoghurt was mainly considered a convenient…