September the 23rd, 2026 – New obligations are coming for traders and service providers in Croatia as of the first day of October, with fines reaching a staggering €30,000.
Fuels are more expensive across Croatia once again, and by expanding the so-called anchor prices, the government wants to increase transparency and prevent the spilling over of higher costs onto other products and services. Poslovni reports that whether the measure can help in the fight against inflation or will create an additional burden for entrepreneurs and craftsmen was discussed by guests on HRT’s Otvoreno.
price hikes will be more noticeable
Željko Krevzelj from the Ministry of the Economy said that the dual display of prices is part of the Government’s 11th package of measures, and the goal is to increase transparency and encourage consumers to monitor price changes more closely. “It’s an expansion of the measure that entered into force back on the 2nd of May 2025, while from the 10th of September, it was expanded to additional categories of products and services,” he explained. When it comes to the new products, he noted that the measure applies to products that existed up to the 10th of September and that the Ministry has sent additional clarifications on the application of anchor prices to economic associations.
“Fines for non-compliance with the measures are from three to 30,000 euros. The decisions enter into force on the 1st of October and we expect them to be applied,” Krevzelj said. According to the official government decisions, as of the 1st of October, alongside the current price of products and services, the price that was valid on the 10th of September 2026 must also be displayed. For the categories that were already covered by the earlier measure – food, drink, cosmetics, cleaning agents, toiletries and household products – the reference remains the price from the 2nd of May 2025.
The second new obligation relates to the publication of price lists on websites. Traders and service providers who have established websites will have to publish price lists there in XML or CSV format. Traders must update them once a day, no later than 08:00, while service providers must update them with every price change, also no later than 08:00 that same day. Published price lists must be available for 30 days.
where does inflation come into it?
Kristina Bakula from the Association Voice of Entrepreneurs assessed the expansion of the measure as extremely worrying. She warned that anchor prices have so far been applied by large systems that have their own IT departments, while now similar requirements are being placed in a short time on farmers, car mechanics, hairdressers and other small craftsmen.
“You’re talking about an anti-inflation package, and I am telling you that no additional cost falls under the fight against inflation. On the contrary, it encourages its growth,” Bakula said. She warned that additional costs for entrepreneurs have previously also been justified by transparency or the fight against inflation and that the new requirements could force some to hire an IT specialist to maintain websites and price lists.
“This isn’t the first situation in which additional costs for people are justified by ‘transparency’ or the fight against inflation. Let us remember that the problem of craftsmen where some craftsmen’s costs rose by 200 percent has not been extinguished. We have not solved that problem either, and you are pouring oil on the fire. People have to hire an IT specialist. Is a farmer supposed to become an IT specialist overnight? An inspector will come and say: ‘You have great tomatoes, but you have to refresh your price list if you have a website. You didn’t update it at eight in the morning.’”
Krevzelj replied that the measure applies to those who already have price lists and displayed products and that the Ministry is not imposing an obligation to publish prices where a price list on the website has not existed so far. Bakula then asked him whether that means that an entrepreneur who has services listed on the website but does not have a price list will not have to start publishing prices. “You’re loading us with new things that will achieve nothing,” Bakula said.
Krevzelj replied that the rules, instructions and clarifications are clear and announced new rulebooks that should further clarify the implementation of the measure.
some may close their online shops…
President of the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts Dalibor Kratohvil said that those operating crafts are calling the Chamber and that nervousness has appeared among them because of the new rules and the short deadline for adaptation. HOK has therefore requested the withdrawal of the decision. As an example he cited the owner of a second-hand clothing shop who sells products for two, five or seven euros, and whose website is maintained by a neighbour who deals with IT and occasionally changes the prices.
“She’s worried about how she will manage everything. I’m afraid we are not going in a good direction,” Kratohvil said. He also warned that some craftsmen, because of the new obligations, are thinking about closing their web shops.
“Many have stated that they want to close their web shops, which is today a window to the world. People want to give up on those stories, and that is not desirable,” he emphasised. Kratohvil said that he does not agree with the Association Voice of Entrepreneurs on many issues and the manner of communication, but that craftsmen need to be enabled to work instead of being additionally burdened with administrative requirements. He added that HOK understands the Ministry’s intention, but considers that the existing Consumer Protection Act already prescribes how to deal with base prices. “We consider that this decision should be withdrawn,” Kratohvil concluded.
there’s a limit to how far the government can realistically go
Former Minister of the Economy Davor Štern warned that the discussion is taking place in a period of major disruptions on the world energy market. He noted that the price of diesel has risen 50 percent in the last six months, while the oil price is continuously oscillating. He said that he understands the positions of the Ministry, consumers, craftsmen and entrepreneurs and that a way needs to be found to prevent large jumps in fuel prices from being used for unjustified increases in other prices. One possibility, he said, would be the taxation of unjustified revenues and profits realised because of market disruptions. But he warned that even a tax on excess profit is not direct protection of consumers because that money ends up with the state.
“By displaying prices the consumer is still somewhat protected. That is good for consumers and the political environment,” Štern said. Speaking about the fuel price increase that has entered into force, he noted that a litre of diesel in Germany costs more than three euros. To the question of how the price in Croatia is still kept below two euros, he replied that the government has shown good will with its interventions, but that the possibilities of such a policy are not unlimited. “There is a limit to how far one can realistically go,” Štern concluded.
