Croatia

Air care was one of the few categories that did not suffer from sharp price growth in 2022, but prices caught up in 2023, impacting demand in the year. However, air care overall still managed to achieve positive volume growth due to tourism as sales…

Airlines in Croatia become a far more competitive category during 2023 as the numbers of airline passengers being carried continue to increase amidst rebounding demand during the post-pandemic era. Indeed, by the end of the year, the airlines…

Despite strong growth in unit prices, alcoholic drinks marked positive volume growth in 2023. It is clear that Croatians are tired of social distancing and need to vent out. With COVID-19 measures all but gone, the number of events spanning across…

Growth of analgesics in 2023 can be mainly attributed to the full recovery of daily activity post pandemic. The main contributors here were the full operation of manual labour intensive industries (predominantly construction), a stronger flu season…

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…

Baby and child-specific sun care was among the top performing categories across baby and child-specific products in Croatia during 2023, with volume sales rising strongly despite steep unit price increases over the course of the year. The main reason…

Baby food is predicted to experience an increase in current value sales in 2023. Nonetheless, a significant portion of this value growth will be influenced by price hikes due to various factors, such as the escalation of energy prices and the ongoing…

Following steep price growth in baked goods in 2022, wheat and flour prices stabilised in 2023. This is particularly important for bread as it is heavily dependent on flour prices. Croatians are strong bread consumers, and it was expected that volume…

Demand for hand sanitisers continues to decline significantly over the course of 2023 as the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumer behaviour continued to decline. As the sanitary situation has improved and the pandemic has officially come to…

The ongoing effects of the War in Ukraine continued to have a negative effect on the Croatian economy throughout 2023. Exports to Russia, Belarus and Ukraine were on hold throughout the year, while consumer spending remained under pressure across…

In 2023, beer sales in Croatia saw a marginal increase in total volume sales, primarily attributed to the positive impact of tourism on on-trade consumption. However, off-trade sales, largely reliant on local residents, experienced a decline due to…

Bleach was heavily used during the initial stage of the pandemic as consumers prioritised the effectiveness of bleach as they sought to removal any possible COVID-19 infection on surfaces. The pandemic was officially declared over in Croatia on 11…

During 2023, strong value growth was recorded in booking in Croatia, with both booking offline and booking online recording robust double-digit growth rates, although somewhat predictably booking online was the big winner during the year. The regular…

Bottled water is expected to register positive volume growth in 2023. Though tap water is of good quality in Croatia, bottled water is often purchased on-the-go, as well as by tourists. In addition, a certain cohort of consumers are switching to…

Whilst the rising production and logistics costs of 2022 have eased, breakfast cereals prices continue their upward trajectory in 2023 as retailers seek to maintain high margins, with no government system to keep them in check. The category still…

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,…

Carbonates is expected to register only marginal volume growth in 2023. Carbonates are a mature product area, with little room for further growth, and added to this, the population continues to decline. Some consumers are also switching to other…

Lactose-free varieties have gained popularity at the expense of standard cheese in 2023. While this is partly due to the well-established tendency towards rising health awareness among the population, many consumers have also become more willing to…

Chocolate confectionery is expected to register solid growth in 2024, with value growth higher than volume growth as inflation has pushed prices up. The significant rise in commodity prices, production costs, and inflation in 2023 has had a…

In 2023, cider and perry in Croatia continued their upward trajectory, surpassing 2019 volume sales in both the off-trade and on-trade channels. This resurgence was primarily driven by the return of open-air socialising, concerts, festivals, and…

Despite continuously rising prices, cigarettes in Croatia saw a further increase in retail volume sales in 2023, albeit a moderate upturn and significantly slower than in 2021 and 2022. Croatia is one of the rare EU markets that is seemingly showing…

Cigars, cigarillos and smoking tobacco in Croatia continued to see retail volume growth in 2023. The growing interest in cigars among a wider range of consumers pushed up retail volume sales. Previously, cigars were predominantly smoked by…

Croatians love their coffee, but it is a mature product with little room for growth. Also, in 2023, with prices still rising, this puts a further dampening effect on coffee, with both volume and constant value sales expected to fall. Continuing…

Demand for facial make-up increased significantly over the course of 2023, with strong growth registered in both the premium and mass segments over the course of the year. Much of this growth was spurred by the very dynamic performance registered in…

Concentrates account for significant volume sales in Croatia, though it is a mature product area which has seen limited growth over the review period. In 2023, concentrates is expected to register muted volume growth, with the product area…

With high inflation as a result of the war in Ukraine, as well as the aftermath of COVID-19, prices have risen sharply, driving value sales growth in consumer health in Croatia. Volume sales, meanwhile, are beginning to return to their pre-pandemic…

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…

During the last couple of years, the flu season was virtually non-existent as a result of Croatians staying at home and, when venturing out in public, wearing face masks, maintaining social distance and frequently washing their hands. This…

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…

Deodorant sprays remained the overwhelmingly dominant category of deodorants in Croatia during 2023 and this is a reflection of the status that deodorant spray shave as the default format of deodorants for local consumers. Put simply, deodorant…

While Croatian consumers are showing increased interest in depilatories generally, 2023 saw a particularly strong increase in demand for depilatories made using natural ingredients such as argan oil and aloe vera. Each of these ingredients is…

Rising consumer demand for medicated skin care products continues to boost sales of dermatologicals in 2023. The desire for well-groomed and healthy skin is extending from beauty and personal care into dermatological products, although products in…

The COVID-19 pandemic, war in Ukraine, and rising cost of living have exacerbated mental health concerns amongst Croatian consumers. As such, they are increasingly seeking dietary supplements and vitamins that boost their mood and reduce the symptoms…

Constipation remains one of the most common digestive problems amongst Croatians. For those suffering from constipation, laxatives are considered the easy, go-to solution, especially for those with reduced mobility or time constraints. Consumers are…

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…

After a boosted performance during the pandemic due to the cocooning and home-cooking trends, volume sales of dishwashing products declined in 2023. This is mostly attributable to the steep double-digit unit price growth registered in the year. In…

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…

Following a sharp contraction in 2022, overall retail volume sales of edible oils in Croatia have rebounded strongly in 2023. The return to growth has been underpinned by the stabilisation of unit prices, which had risen dramatically the previous…

Energy drinks is expected to be the best performing soft drink in terms of volume growth in 2023. Energy drinks are particularly popular among the under 25 age group and are widely consumed at festivals and parties. It is also popular as a cocktail…

Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were few differences between sales growth trends across premium fragrances and mass fragrances. However, since volume sales of premium fragrances dropped sharply in 2020 during the early stages of…

In light of inflationary pressures, consumers have become increasingly discerning and cost-conscious in 2022. Grocery retailers have navigated this more complex climate by implementing various measures to address changing preferences, such as…

The persistent inflation and rising production costs in 2024 are significantly impacting gum sales in Croatia. As prices remain elevated, consumer spending on non-essential items like gum has seen a slight decrease. However, brand loyalty remains a…

Towards the end of the review period, local consumers adopted a more personalised, customised approach to their hair care needs. This trend first emerged during the peak months of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many people took the opportunity to…

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…

Strong current retail value sales growth in 2023 as a result of inflation had a negative impact on volume sales in the year. The two major categories of dishwashing and laundry care were particularly affected by price hikes. In addition, rising…

Climate change is having an increasing impact on the insect population in the country, with warmer and more humid weather creating ideal breeding conditions. Croatia is increasingly seeing heat waves during the summer months, which is contributing to…

Overall, retail volume sales for hot drinks are expected to fall marginally, due to a slight fall in volume sales for coffee, which is by far the most popular hot drink in Croatia. The picture is not much better for tea and other hot drinks, with…

The year 2024 has seen a significant increase in ice cream unit prices in Croatia, driven by rising input costs experienced in 2023. To maintain the perception of affordability for consumers, retailers have implemented two key strategies: reducing…

Stanic, with its To and Juicy brands, continues to lead current value and retail volume sales of juice in 2023, with consumers seeing the brands as good price/quality combinations. Second-leading player Vindija also maintains a double-digit value…

Value sales of laundry care recorded a strong double-digit increase in 2023 as soaring inflation pushed up average unit prices. Volume sales, meanwhile, were dampened as a result of increasing price sensitivity among Croatian consumers, and…