New rules for displaying retail prices and unit prices

Minister of Economy Ante Šušnjar has issued the Ordinance on the Method of Displaying the Retail Price and the Price per Unit of Measure of a Product, published in the Official Gazette (Narodne novine) No. 105/2026 of September 18, 2026, under serial number 1270. The Ordinance transposes Directive 98/6/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 1998 on the protection of consumers in respect of indications of prices of products offered to consumers into Croatian legislation. The new regulation enters into force on the eighth day from the date of publication, September 26, 2026, and is binding for all traders.

The Ordinance was adopted based on Article 7, paragraph 10 of the Consumer Protection Act (“Official Gazette”, No. 19/22, 59/23, and 59/26) and Article 38, paragraph 3 of the State Administration System Act (“Official Gazette”, No. 66/19 and 155/23), with the prior consent of the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs. It was signed in Zagreb on September 14, 2026, under class 330-01/26-01/51 and registry number 526-07-01-01-01-26-22.

Upon the date of entry into force, the Ordinance on the Method of Displaying the Retail Price and the Price per Unit of Measure of Product Services (“Official Gazette” No. 117/22) shall cease to be valid. Two related regulations in the field of consumer protection were also published in the same issue of the Official Gazette – the Ordinance on the Content and Form of the European Repair Information Form (serial number 1271) and the Ordinance on the Content and Form of the Notice on the Consumer’s Right to Unilateral Termination of Contracts Concluded at a Distance and Off-Premises (serial number 1272).

How the price must be displayed

The retail price and the price per unit of measure must be displayed for the consumer unambiguously, clearly, visibly, legibly, and in an easily noticeable manner. The price of a product is considered unambiguously displayed if the possibility of confusing it with the price of another product is excluded.

the price is displayed on the goods or at the point of sale, on a label with the name of the goods, in front of, below, or next to the goods
exceptionally, it may be displayed above the goods or in the form of a price list
in online trade, the interface must be organized so that confusion with the price of other goods is excluded
the price must also be displayed for all goods that are sold and located in the shop window
prices are expressed in the official currency of the Republic of Croatia, and the trader may also display them in another currency, whereby the price in euros is decisive for the consumer

Price per unit of measure and prescribed exceptions

In addition to the retail price, the price per unit of measure must also be displayed on the goods or at the point of sale for:

food and animal feed
detergents
baby diapers
paints and varnishes, except for artist’s paints
oils and fluids for engines and motor vehicles
distilled water
face and body care products
face and body washing and cleaning products
hair washing and care products
tooth and oral cavity washing, cleaning, and care products

Exceptionally, the unit price does not have to be displayed for goods with a mass of less than 50 grams or a volume of less than 50 milliliters, goods sold as gift packs or sets, goods within special forms of sale, pet treats, cakes, alcoholic beverages in packaging up to 100 ml, frozen desserts with a volume up to 500 ml, and fruit and vegetables sold by the piece or in bunches. For food in a liquid medium, the unit price refers to the drained weight, and for glazed food, only to the net weight without the glaze.

Fuels on the website and service prices

The trader is obliged to display the retail price of gasoline, diesel fuels, gas oils, biofuels, autogas, electricity, and other alternative fuels placed on the market via the website for retail price information of the subject goods maintained by the ministry responsible for energy.

A trader providing a service must have a price list of services displayed at the points of sale, including the online store point of sale, and the price list must be easily accessible to the consumer. If it is not possible to display all services on the price list due to the number and variety of services, prices are published in a service catalog, a special brochure, or a prospectus. Along with the service price, the trader must state the name, type, and scope of the service, and all associated costs must also be highlighted in the price.

The price is not displayed for goods marked as “gratis”, “free”, “free of charge”, or similar markings, nor for products not intended for sale.

Significance for consumers

The new regulation directly affects every consumer in Croatia as it stipulates that the price must be legible, visible, and unambiguously linked to the goods to which it refers, thereby reducing the room for price changes in stores and online sales. The obligation to publish fuel prices on the website enables price comparison before arriving at the gas station, and the prescribed exceptions maintain practicality for small and piece-based goods. The regulation was published as part of a broader package of consumer protection measures which, in the same issue of the official gazette, also regulates the repair of goods and the unilateral termination of distance contracts.

Source: Narodne novine, No. 105/2026, Zagreb, September 18, 2026 – Ordinance on the method of displaying the retail price and the unit price of products (ordinal number 1270), class: 330-01/26-01/51, urbroj: 526-07-01-01-01-26-22, signed by the Minister of Economy Ante Šušnjar.