Regional Shopping Boycott

Photo: HINA/Zvonimir Kuhtić

Boycotts of stores and services took place in Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina over the weekend.

In Croatia, there was a one-day boycott on Jan. 31 that included all stores, products and services, organized by the Hello, Inspector consumer platform over high prices. Almost completely empty stores and shopping malls in Zagreb, with just the odd person going in, testified to the broad response. Croatian websites and the Hello, Inspector platform posted images of empty stores on social media.

A one-day boycott in protest of high prices, modelled after the boycott in Croatia and organized via social media, also took place in North Macedonia on Jan. 31. Montenegro also saw a boycott due to the exorbitant prices of staple foods. Following the Croatian example, the call for the boycott came from organizations, unions and also Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic. The Chamber of Commerce, whose members are the owners of supermarket chains, and the Montenegrin Consumer Association, were against the boycott.

A boycott of stores, restaurants and cafes and gas stations, initiated via social media by an informal group of citizens due to the rising price of staples and other products and services, took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina too. The boycott received support from consumer organizations, unions, some politicians and the consumer ombudsperson's office.