ZAGREB, 24 March (Hina) – Inspection teams of the State Inspectorate conducted 1,450 inspections between 7 February and 21 March to monitor compliance with the government’s decision to cap retail prices and found violations in 392 cases, the State Inspectorate (DIRH) reported on Monday.

The price control measure covering certain products and product categories came into effect on 7 February. Out of the 1,450 inspections carried out, 1,058 cases (72.97%) showed no violations, according to DIRH.

The government expanded the list of price-capped products from 30 items, initially set in September 2023, to 70 items. The prices of the original 30 products remained unchanged, except for adjustments on frankfurters, apples, and toilet paper. The price cap applies regardless of the manufacturer for this group. For the 40 newly added products, retailers must ensure at least one item per category adheres to the price restriction. If a specific product sells out, the retailer must replace it with another at the capped price.

Among the 392 cases of violations, inspectors found that: 1,200 products lacked the required visual identification labels, 210 products from the original 30-item list were sold above the maximum price, and 354 products from the expanded 40-item list lacked a properly priced alternative in the retailer’s selection. Additionally, 136 violations were related to consumer information issues, such as missing posters and failure to set up designated display sections.

DIRH noted that during or immediately after the inspections, retailers corrected the violations to comply with the regulations but market inspectors will take legal action against the confirmed breaches.