Croatia in top three for highest inflation rates in Europe
- by croatiaweek
- in Business
Inflation hits Croatian households
The latest inflation figures show Croatia is experiencing one of the highest rates in the European Union.
According to data from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, Croatia’s inflation rate was 4.5% in December 2024, up from 4.0% the previous month.
This places Croatia behind only Hungary and Romania in the EU.
The latest data underscores significant disparities in inflation across the EU. While Croatia faces high inflation, countries like Ireland, Italy, and Luxembourg recorded much lower rates in December 2024.
“The lowest annual rates were registered in Ireland (1.0%), Italy (1.4%), Luxembourg, Finland and Sweden (all 1.6%). The highest annual rates were recorded in Romania (5.5%), Hungary (4.8%) and Croatia (4.5%),” Eurostat said.
In Croatia, consumer prices have been steadily climbing throughout the year, with inflation peaking at 5.4% in December 2023.
Comparatively, the euro areaโs overall inflation rate was 2.4% in December, while the EU-wide rate stood at 2.7%. Both figures have risen slightly since November, reflecting persistent price pressures across Europe.
Categories like food, alcohol, and tobacco have been the biggest contributors to rising costs, leaving households stretched thin.
The Croatian government has introduced measures like freezing the prices of certain products, but for many, this is not enough.
Croatians to Boycott Shopping in Protest Against Rising Food Prices
Croatians are preparing for a nationwide shopping boycott on Friday, 24 January, as frustration mounts over skyrocketing food prices and the persistent inflation.
๐๐ง๐ง๐ฎ๐๐ฅ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐ญ๐จ ๐.๐% ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐จ ๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ ๐๐๐๐, ๐.๐% ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐
โ EU_Eurostat (@EU_Eurostat) January 20, 2025
Lowest annual inflation rates in:
๐ฎ๐ชIreland (1.0%)
๐ฎ๐นItaly (1.4%)
Highest in:
๐ท๐ดRomania (5.5%)
๐ญ๐บHungary (4.8%)
โก๏ธhttps://t.co/WQH96w6OMm pic.twitter.com/D2YNK9oVXS
The grassroots campaign, shared widely on social media, is calling on citizens to abstain from any purchases for a day, aiming to pressure retailers and the government into taking meaningful action.
Social media is flooded with comments from citizens voicing their support for the boycott. One user wrote, โPrices are out of control. I fully support this initiative!โ Another added, โItโs time we sent a message โ this canโt go on any longer.โ
