No issues with food supplies in Croatia, public assured

As the number of coronavirus cases in Croatia increases and more restrictions are put in place, more and more people are heading to the supermarkets to stock up on essentials.

On Friday, compared to the same day last year, 142 million kuna was spent in shops, which was 58% more than the same day in 2019. Despite the spike, everyone in the supply chain has stressed that there are enough food supplies with the state of commodity stocks is sufficient for a month, and advises people there is no need to stock up large supplies.

Minister of Finance, Zdravko Maric, said on Saturday that there was increased demand in stores on 50 to 60 key items, and also stressed that temporary empty shelves do not mean shortages, Vecernji list reported.

“Almost every item has almost five substitutes, domestic or foreign. If, for example, there are currently no toothpastes from Italy, there are five others,” says Maric.

Tomislav Kramaric, director of retail at Konzum Croatia, told HRT Dnevnik that due to the increased demand in certain shops, staff could not stock shelves fast enough but there was no shortage problem. 

CEO of Croatian food company Podravka, Marin Pucar, also echoed that there was no shortage of supplies.  

“We have several months of supplies and finished goods, raw materials and packaging. We prepared for the (tourist) season and I would urge that no unnecessary supplies be created in households as we will ensure continuity of production in the coming days, weeks and months and certainly Croatia will remain neither without food nor without medicines,” Pucar said.