September the 26th, 2026 – Inspectors have discovered that almost 500 products being sold in various Croatian stores are too expensive. The question is: is anyone remotely shocked?
The aforementioned inspections covered the application of decisions setting the highest permitted prices of individual products and product categories, as well as traders’ obligations related to informing consumers. Poslovni reports that from February 2025 to the 18th of September 2026, the Market Inspection of the State Inspectorate conducted a total of 5,409 inspections related to price control measures in stores. Irregularities were established in 1,351 inspections, or 26.45 percent of cases, while in the remaining 3,757 inspections, or 73.55 percent, no violations were found.
The inspections covered the application of decisions setting the highest permitted prices of individual products and product categories, as well as traders’ obligations related to informing consumers. Inspectors, among other things, checked whether traders display the prescribed markings, whether they offer certain products at a price within the permitted limit, and whether they fulfil obligations related to posters and separate parts of sales premises, reports Večernji list.
According to data from the State Inspectorate, in the controls a total of 4,996 products were established for which traders did not display the prescribed visual identification marking. For 466 products it was established that they were sold at a price higher than the highest permitted, while in 1,078 product categories traders did not set a price up to the prescribed highest level for at least one item they have on offer.
Among the products from the group for which traders must display a price up to the permitted amount for all items, the most violations were established for syrup with sugar – 237. These are followed by UHT milk with 2.8 percent milk fat with 220 violations, yoghurt in cups and bottles of 180 to 200 grams with 215, and shower gel of 250 millilitres with 205 violations. More than 150 violations were also recorded for sanitary pads, where there were 161. For pasta in the form of spaghetti 98 violations were established, rice 128, carrots in bulk 118, lemons in bulk 111, chicken and turkey frankfurters 106, toothpaste 104, tomato purée 100, and for chicken 89.
Inspectors also specifically checked 71 product categories in which traders must have at least one item at a price up to the highest permitted. In that group the most irregularities were recorded for unpackaged wheat bread, with a total of 182 violations. These are followed by oranges in bulk with 144 violations, Kranj sausage with 137, red or yellow onion with 118, Tyrolean sausage with 102, and pancetta with 98 violations.
A problem was also established with the obligatory informing of consumers. A total of 375 violations related to the display of posters and ensuring separate parts of the sales facility were recorded. In 306 cases traders did not display the prescribed poster, in 22 cases they did not ensure a separate part of the sales space in facilities larger than 400 square metres, while in 47 cases it was established that on that separate part at least one item at a limited price from the prescribed groups was not displayed. The inspection also controlled the obligation of traders to publish valid price lists on their websites and to display an additional price alongside certain products as a measure of direct price control. In 219 sales facilities traders did not display the additional price for a total of 2,084 controlled products.
When it comes to the publication of price lists on websites, controls were carried out at traders from the categories of supermarkets, hypermarkets, discount stores and Cash&Carry type stores. It was established that 14 traders did not fulfil all the prescribed obligations related to the publication of price lists, while some inspections are still ongoing.
From the State Inspectorate they state that for the established misdemeanours they will take the prescribed misdemeanour measures. Price control measures were introduced in order to mitigate the consequences of market disruptions and protect the economic rights of consumers, and traders, alongside price restrictions, also received obligations related to more transparent informing of customers.
