According to estimates by the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK), in the week leading up to Easter Croatians will spend around 1.6 billion kuna (€211 million), some 15 percent more than in regular weeks during the year, state agency Hina said, carrying an article by Vecernji List daily published on Friday.

This year, a “more modest” basket of food items consumed during the Easter holidays will amount to around 550 kuna (€73), the daily says. Judging by surveys, as many as two in three or 66.5 percent of Croatians will cut back on spending on food for Easter, up from 54.3 percent who said the same last year. Around 40 percent of respondents plan to spend up to 500 kuna, and half of them plan to spend less than 300 kuna (€40).

Hina did not list what constitutes a “typical” food basket.

“The product range is broad, prices are as much as 30 percent higher, and even though the offer is good, retailers are evidently not overloading the shelves and are much more careful about supplies compared to previous years, when Easter foodstuffs were sold one month after Easter,” said Branko Bobetic of the Croatiastocar association of cattle breeders.

Croatians eat 5,000 to 6,000 tons of cured meats a year, of which 2,000 tons for Easter alone.

“Consumption in the week leading up to Easter is four times the average consumption, and the good news is that more than 90 percent of those products are Croatian-made and are rarely imported, except for prosciutto,” he said.