ZAGREB, 22 Dec (Hina) – Croatia’s traditional festive food basket is 15-16% more expensive than last year, the Independent Croatian Trade Unions (NHS) said on Monday, warning that high prices mean some citizens can no longer afford traditional holiday dishes.
The price of the traditional festive basket rose by 15.93% year on year. The mid-range basket increased by 15.92%, while the modest basket, based on discounted and price-capped items, was up 15.26%.
Presenting the figures at Zagreb’s Dolac farmers’ market, NHS economic adviser Izabela-Delfa Mišić said the so-called rich basket now costs €626.74, up €86.16 from 2024. The mid-range basket costs €253.03, up €34.75, while the modest basket rose by €18.6 to €140.53.
She stressed that the basket covers several meals from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day. Due to high prices, some households will replace traditional foods such as lamb, suckling pig or cod with cheaper alternatives.
As examples, Mišić cited pork shoulder or salami instead of prosciutto, kulen or ham, and sardines instead of cod or dentex. The basket does not include gifts, Christmas trees or New Year travel.
She said many citizens are postponing buying Christmas presents because much of their disposable income is spent on food, describing the situation as hidden poverty. Commenting on announced price rises of about 5% in shops, she said increases were unjustified unless linked to better-quality products or higher wages.
NHS president Dražen Jović said official inflation ranged between 3.8% and 4.3% this year, but rising food prices remain a major problem, adding that citizens rightly feel prices are changing on a daily basis.
