Croatia to implement new anchor price rules for businesses

Starting October 1, 2026, businesses and service providers in Croatia must implement new price labeling regulations known as “anchor prices.” This mandate requires companies to display their current price alongside a reference price from a specific historical date to help consumers track inflation and price changes.

For most goods and services, the reference date is September 10, 2026. However, for food, beverages, cosmetics, and household products, the reference price remains the one from May 2, 2025. In some instances, such as promotional sales, a single product may be required to display up to four different prices: the original price, the discounted price, the lowest price from the previous 30 days, and the anchor price.

The Croatian Chamber of Economy (HOK) has issued guidelines, but many business owners, including those in the hospitality sector, have expressed significant concern regarding the short implementation window and increased administrative burdens. Some industry representatives have suggested collective legal action. Additionally, digital price lists for online services must now be provided in machine-readable formats like XML or CSV rather than PDF or Excel.