Croatian retail sales see strong growth in December

Retail sales in Croatia picked up sharply in December, with turnover reaching 2.55 billion euros, up 8.1 percent compared to the same month in 2024, according to the Croatian Chamber of Economy (HGK).

The highest growth was recorded in Požega-Slavonia County at just over 11 percent, followed by Krapina-Zagorje at 10.8 percent. Lika-Senj and Vukovar-Srijem counties also posted growth of around 10 percent.

Maja Bogović, director of HGK’s Trade Sector, said the increase is largely driven by rising disposable household income. “Positive macroeconomic trends in recent years have allowed consumers to spend more,” she noted.

For the full year, fiscalized retail turnover in 2025 reached 28.3 billion euros, a 6.5 percent increase over 2024. The number of receipts issued also rose slightly, by 0.6 percent.

Inflation also played a role, with estimates putting the year-on-year increase at 3.8 percent.