Visitors to European holiday hotspot warned of steep price increases to essential items

Daily Mail​

9 hours ago

Visitors to Croatia's coastal hotspots may be met with an unwelcome surprise this summer, as seaside towns experience spiking prices on everyday necessities.
According to a new report from RTL Direkt, the cost of everyday goods has jumped by over 10 per cent in some areas - with the town of Tribunj leading the trend with a staggering 10.38 per cent rise.
From toilet paper to toothpaste, prices for hygiene products and essentials across the country have surged, with data showing the steepest increases in small tourist destinations.
A pack of toilet paper, for example, that costs 2.79 euros in the capital, Zagreb, is now going for 3.32 euros in Tribunj - a whopping 19.10 per cent hike.
'These are basic items people must buy, especially in tourist apartments, and that drives prices even higher', economist Mladen Vedriš told Croatia Week.
He warned that if the trend continues, annual inflation could easily surpass 20 per cent.
The inflation isn't limited to paper products, with cleaning items jumping from 2.59 to 2.99 euros, while a litre of yoghurt now costs 1.08 euros, up from 0.99 euros.
Surprisingly, it's hygiene and household items - not food - that are seeing dramatic increases.
Ivo Ugrina, co-developer of a government-mandated app that tracks nearly nine million product prices nationwide, said: 'I never expected toiletries and cleaning items to become the most expensive. I thought food would be the main driver.'
That app is now shedding light on a growing divide between prices inland and on the coast.
While nappies sell for 14.99 euros on the mainland, prices spike to 25.99 euros by the sea.
Basic toothpaste can double from 3 to 6 euros, and a chocolate bar that costs 2 euros in Zagreb may fetch up to 8 euros in coastal towns.
Smaller tourist towns are experiencing the most dramatic price hikes, with Zaostrog, a quiet coastal village, seeing a 10 per cent increase in just three weeks.
Meanwhile, larger cities like Split and Dubrovnik recorded more moderate rises of just over 1 and nearly 3 percent, respectively.
Economist Damir Novotny explained that supplying smaller Adriatic communities is far more expensive than large, popular cities.
He said it's 'easier to supply one million people in Zagreb' than '200,000 scattered across Zadar County.'
For locals and returning tourists alike, the changes are increasingly noticeable, with one resident of Split describing the situation 'frustrating,' as 'everything is expensive'.
Some visitors are already changing their habits. Experts say tourists are now bringing basic supplies - not just for convenience, but to avoid inflated prices.
Vedriš said: 'Guests are calculating what they get for their money, how much accommodation costs – and many are arriving already stocked up. Soon they won't just be bringing tins of pâté, but toilet paper too.'
While the rising costs are partially seasonal and driven by logistical challenges, economists warn of longer-term concerns, with Novotny warning: 'Once prices go up, they rarely come down.'