00:00Every Saturday for the past 30 years, Stjepan Urinac has been commuting to a market near the Croatian capital Zagreb, 150 km from his home.
00:10There he sells potatoes and grains that were grown on his farm.
00:14Together with his brother, a cattle breeder and dairy farmer, Stjepan runs a farm in northern Croatia.
00:21But despite their hard work, they say they are no longer able to compete with imported farm produce
00:26because the market is dominated by supermarket chains and resellers who are pushing down the prices paid to producers.
00:51While the cost of local production is rising, including the cost of seeds, fertilizer and fuel,
00:58the prices paid to producers remain low.
01:02Stjepan is not willing to sell to supermarkets and resellers because of the low prices.
01:20They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:22They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:24They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:26They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:28They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:30They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:32They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:34They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:36They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:38They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:40They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:42They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:44They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:46They are selling to supermarkets and resellers.
01:49These are the prices.
01:50While supermarkets and resellers dictate the prices on the market,
01:54domestic producers are struggling to survive and consumers are struggling to cope.
01:59The cost of living is rising.
02:01The annual inflation rate in Croatia is 5%.
02:05At the same time, the average gross monthly salary in Croatia,
02:09approximately 1300 euros, is among the lowest in the EU.
02:14To make matters worse, Eurostat data on 2,000 foods and services
02:19showed that the cost of food in Croatia is up to 20% higher than the European average.
02:25I am revolting a lot.
02:27But if you can't help, you have to buy.
02:29It's simple.
02:31But the prices have really gone up by 100%.
02:34It started with the coronavirus,
02:36when they started raising prices, while there was still Kuna.
02:39They started raising prices there,
02:41and as soon as January came, they all went up.
02:44I don't know what to say.
02:46Prices have gone far.
02:47Today, more than 100 euros is nothing.
02:49That's why Jozef Kellerman of the association Hey Inspector
02:53launched a boycott against supermarkets.
02:59The problem is that we have established that the same market chain
03:03that, for example, is based in Germany,
03:05in Croatia, sells the same product on its shelves,
03:09but, for example, for 190 or more percent more expensive.
03:12Our salaries have gone up by, I would say, below 10%.
03:17At the same time, prices have gone up by 60% and 100%.
03:20It's completely absurd,
03:22out of proportion to what everyone tells us that we live well.
03:25No, we don't live well.
03:27And consumers have said,
03:29we can't use this anymore,
03:31not even for our daily needs.
03:33Come on, so that we can live on a monthly basis.
03:46Today, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
03:49Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia, Slovakia, Slovenia
03:53join us in a similar way in a boycott.
03:56Will they be able to articulate that without consumers?
03:59I don't know.
04:01But in any case, it is impressive
04:03that we know that we have started a part of Europe
04:06to finally accept and hear the voice of a consumer
04:09who was quite minor, quiet and unknown.
04:26Bosnians seem to be determined to do what they can
04:29to make their voices heard.
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