More consumer rights in Croatia – easier cancellations and right to repair coming

The Croatian government has presented amendments to the country’s consumer protection legislation aimed at strengthening consumer rights, improving transparency in business practices and aligning national rules with European Union law.

The proposed changes to the Consumer Protection Act (Croatia) were introduced during a government session this week and are expected to be adopted by the Croatian Parliament before the end of the summer sitting.

According to Ivan Rakocija, State Secretary at the Ministry of Economy (Croatia), the amendments bring Croatia’s legislation fully in line with EU directives while strengthening safeguards for consumers.

“We are introducing a number of measures that strengthen consumer protection, increase business transparency and prevent unfair commercial practices,” Rakocija said on HRT’s U mreži Prvog show.

The draft law was open for public consultation between 22 December and 22 January and received support from social partners.

Consumer protection organisations have welcomed the proposed reforms.

Vlado Biljarski, president of the Splitski potrošač Consumer Protection Association, said the amendments clearly improve the position of consumers.

Consumer associations participated in the consultation process and submitted suggestions aimed at improving and clarifying certain provisions of the law.

New right-to-repair rules

One of the key changes relates to the so-called “right to repair”, which stems from new EU directives designed to extend product lifespans and reduce waste.

Under the proposed rules, certain products must be repairable even after the warranty period has expired. Manufacturers and service providers will also be required to ensure the availability of spare parts.

Importantly, repair services will no longer be allowed to refuse to fix a product simply because it has previously been repaired by an unauthorised service centre or by the consumer themselves.

Until now, service providers were able to decline such repairs if they determined that someone else had already worked on the product.

Easier cancellation of online contracts

Another significant change concerns online purchases and contracts concluded remotely.

Consumers will have the right to cancel contracts within 14 days in the same way they originally concluded them. For example, contracts signed online with a single click will be able to be cancelled through a similarly simple process.

The reform aims to make exercising cancellation rights easier and more transparent for consumers in the growing digital marketplace.

Greater oversight and stronger penalties

The amendments also strengthen enforcement powers for the State Inspectorate (Croatia).

Consumers who believe their rights have been violated will have the option to submit a complaint to the inspectorate within 30 days.

At the same time, businesses that fail to comply with consumer protection rules will face higher fines than under the current law.

Clearer rules on discounts and promotions

New rules will also apply to the way discounts and promotions are communicated.

Retailers will be required to clearly display price lists on their websites and ensure that advertised discounts are calculated based on the lowest price charged during the previous 30 days.

An exception will apply to products approaching their expiry date, where prices may be reduced more frequently in order to avoid waste.

Growing awareness among consumers

Consumer advocates say the reforms come as public awareness of consumer rights continues to grow.

Biljarski encouraged citizens to seek assistance from consumer associations or use the free helpline provided by the Ministry of Economy if they encounter problems.

The reforms are being discussed ahead of World Consumer Rights Day, marked annually on 15 March. This year’s message highlights the importance of informed consumers.

“The idea behind the message is that an informed and educated consumer is a safer participant in the marketplace and more capable of defending their rights,” Biljarski said.

If adopted as planned, the new legislation will represent one of the most significant updates to Croatia’s consumer protection framework in recent years, bringing it closer in line with evolving EU standards while expanding safeguards for shoppers.