New app takes on rising prices in Croatia

Across Croatia, people are fed up with rising prices and have been making their voices heard. From supermarkets to petrol stations, shoppers have been boycotting stores in a grassroots movement sparked by the Facebook group “Halo, Inspektore.”

What started as a protest has now grown the launch of a new app and a push for real change.

On Friday, the “Halo, Inspektore” platform unveiled a multifunctional app designed entirely by Croatian experts.

This tool promises to give consumers the upper hand by tracking market trends, price changes, and the group’s ongoing campaigns.

Created by Osijek developers Matej Petric and Enio Đordan, the app is expected to go live soon, offering a practical way for Croatians to fight back against inflated costs.

The boycott, once dismissed by some as pointless, is proving its worth. The movement has pressured the government to fast-track a new law that will force all retailers to be fully transparent about their prices.

Soon, shops will have to publish the cost of every single product online—not just the ones in their catalogues—and make this data freely available to app developers and programmers.

What does this mean for shoppers? Once the law kicks in, you’ll be able to use apps and websites to track prices of all goods, compare them across stores, check price histories, and find the best deals. It’s a game-changer for consumers who’ve felt powerless against sneaky price hikes.

(Photo: Halo, inspektore)

Evidence from countries like Israel shows this approach works. When prices are out in the open, retailers can’t quietly jack them up without anyone noticing.

Shoppers will see which stores offer fair prices and which ones are pocketing hefty profits. This could finally spark real competition among retailers, breaking the cycle of unspoken price agreements that have kept costs high.

But the group isn’t letting its guard down. They know retailers might try to complicate things, making it harder for independent developers to build tools and databases.

That’s why “Halo, Inspektore” plans to keep the pressure on—both on the government to pass the law and on shops to follow it—until Croatia’s chaotic market is finally tamed. For too long, consumers have been treated like prey, despite laws meant to protect them. Now, they’re rewriting the story.

The need for action is clear. According to Eurostat, food prices in Croatia have skyrocketed by 45% since 2020—well above the EU average of 33%.

Bread is up 61% (compared to 35% across the EU), eggs have jumped 63%, fruit 40%, meat 38%, and vegetables 44%. With numbers like these, it’s no wonder people are taking a stand.