Hungarian shoppers flocking to Croatian border towns

(Illustration)

Shops in eastern Croatia are seeing a growing number of customers from neighbouring Hungary as price differences draw cross-border shoppers in increasing numbers.

Retailers in the Baranja region, particularly around Beli Manastir, say Hungarian shoppers are visiting more frequently, often arriving at weekends and buying large quantities of food and tobacco products, Glas Slavonije reported.

According to local reports, Hungarian buyers most commonly purchase five main items – pork, processed meat products, cheese, cigarettes and a range of everyday grocery goods.

Pork and cheese among the biggest bargains

The main reason behind the trend is simple: lower prices.

Shop owners say pork in Croatian stores can be up to 30 per cent cheaper than in Hungary. Some types of cheese are also significantly cheaper, in some cases costing up to five euros less than across the border.

Because of these differences, Hungarian shoppers often buy larger quantities during a single visit. Popular purchases include larger cuts of pork such as pork neck, leg, shoulder and bacon, along with cheeses, sweets and ready-made meals.

Retailers say tobacco products are also frequently bought, with some customers spending hundreds of euros per trip.

Weekend shopping trips becoming common

Residents in Beli Manastir have noticed a clear increase in Hungarian customers in recent months. The trend is particularly visible on weekends when shoppers cross the border to stock up on groceries.

Local retailers have begun adjusting their stock and business strategies to meet this demand, ensuring sufficient supplies of the products most commonly purchased by visiting customers.

A reversal of an old trend

The situation represents a notable reversal compared with previous decades.

In the past, Croatian shoppers often travelled to Hungary to take advantage of lower prices, particularly before and shortly after the Croatian War of Independence.

More recently, in 2022, many Croatians crossed the border to buy cheaper fuel in Hungary. However, that trend faded after Hungary restricted and later removed preferential fuel prices for foreign buyers.

Today the flow has largely reversed, with increasing numbers of Hungarian shoppers heading into Croatia instead.

Cross-border shopping reshaped by prices

With price differences continuing to favour Croatian retailers for certain products, border towns are benefiting from a steady stream of international customers.

For shops in Baranja, the growing presence of Hungarian shoppers is becoming an important part of everyday business, and a reminder of how economic shifts can quickly reshape long-standing shopping habits across borders.