Supermarket Boycott Becomes a Trend in the Western Balkans

 The Consumer Protection Association, Efektiva, has urged consumers in Serbia to boycott five major retail chains due to what it describes as excessively high prices. The boycott targets supermarket chains Delhaize, Mercator, Univerexport, DIS, and Lidl.

 

Efektiva acknowledged that inflation naturally leads to price increases but criticized the magnitude of the price hikes reflected on store labels. The organization argues that the current pricing strategies adopted by these retailers are unreasonable and burden consumers unnecessarily.

A Regional Movement Against High Prices

The boycott initiative originally began in Croatia, spearheaded by the consumer rights group "Halo, Inspektore" (Hello, Inspector) at the end of January. The group initiated a one-week boycott of supermarket chains Eurospin, Lidl, and DM, as reported by albinfo.ch.

The movement quickly spread to other parts of the Western Balkans, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Slovenia. Following this trend, North Macedonia also joined the initiative, and Kosovo is expected to follow suit soon.

Impact of the Boycott

A report from the Croatian tax administration revealed that the boycott in Croatia led to a significant 53% drop in sales compared to the previous week. This sharp decline in consumer spending indicates that such organized boycotts can exert considerable pressure on retailers, potentially compelling them to reconsider their pricing policies.

As the movement gains traction across the Balkans, it remains to be seen whether similar economic impacts will be observed in Serbia and other participating countries. The success of this initiative could signal a shift in consumer activism in the region, urging businesses to adopt fairer pricing practices.