Prices of cod, lamb, pork, eggs and turkey have gone up the most in the four years since 2018 when a major alliance of unions NHS last calculated their holiday consumer basket, with the price of this year's basket ranging between 680 kuna (€90) and 2,600 kuna (€347), NHS leader, Kresimir Sever, said on Thursday.

The price of what they call “the richest basket” is 2,602 kuna, and contains cod, turkey or lamb, stuffed cabbage rolls, various kinds of salad, and cake with high-quality ingredients such as almonds or walnuts.

“This basket is the only one that reflects the spirit of the tradition. It contains everything that would be traditionally eaten in families with a normal income. Unfortunately, only a small number of people can afford it in Croatia,” Sever said. The cost of the “average basket,” which includes cheaper kinds of fish and meat, is 1,153 kuna (€154), and the “most modest” one is 680 kuna.

All three baskets were calculated for a three-member family on the assumption that most meals would be eaten for dinner and supper, and the leftover food would suffice for Boxing Day. “Food prices in this country are four percent lower than in the EU, while wages are 67 percent lower. Food prices in Croatia have gone up by 19.2 percent, which is higher than the monthly inflation rate of 13.5 percent,” Sever said.

(€1 = 7.54 kuna)