Consumer Goods Prices Increased by 5.2 Percent in Croatia Last Year

Prices of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) in Croatia increased by 5.2 percent last year, the value of the FMCG market grew by 7.8 percent, and the volume growth amounted to 2.6 percent compared to the previous year, according to the State of the Nation research by the analytical firm NIQ, as reported by the magazine JaTrgovac.

In the Adriatic region (Croatia, Slovenia, and Serbia), significant variations in the price increases of FMCG products are observed in 2024 – from Croatia at 5.2 percent and Serbia at 3.9 percent to Slovenia with price growth below one percent.

Slovenia is distinguished by the presence of three major discount chains, which provide more alternative options compared to large brands, thereby keeping price growth lower compared to Croatia or Serbia.

The research showed that in Croatia, non-promotional sales played a key role in the growth of the FMCG market.

Although the categories of home care and personal care led the growth, an interesting change emerged. Specifically, non-promotional sales contributed more to the growth of the FMCG market value than promotional sales, indicating consumers’ willingness to pay full price for products.

The share of promotional sales in Serbia was 38 percent in 2024, in Croatia 29 percent, and in Slovenia 27 percent.

The largest growth in promotional sales of 1.2 percent was noted in Slovenia, showing that discounted items increasingly contribute to market growth compared to products with regular prices, while in Croatia, the growth of the FMCG market was primarily driven by regular sales.

This indicates, as noted, a change in retail dynamics in the Adriatic market, where promotional and pricing strategies will be crucial for driving sales in all three countries.

According to the research, the value of the market for electronics and durable goods in Croatia increased by 8.4 percent last year compared to the previous year, which was driven by growth across all quarters.

The most successful category was small household appliances, whose sales results were particularly influenced by promotions during the Black Friday and Christmas periods.