According to the Government's analysis, food prices in Montenegro are lower than in Serbia and Croatia, and on this basis the "Limited Prices" campaign has been extended until April 30. However, that document also compares the prices of items from completely different manufacturers, different weights and product classes, and therefore its results are contradictory.
"Vijesti" determined this by reading the analysis conducted by the Ministry of Economic Development for January.
According to the government's analysis, sugar, carrots, apples, some chocolates, lemons, potatoes, shower gels... are cheaper compared to our neighbors.
Vice President for Economic Policy and Head of the Economy Department Nick Djelosaj said at a press conference yesterday that "Limited Prices" were successful, that analyses showed that the prices of basic foodstuffs were lower than in the region and that according to data in the previous period there was no inflation and that prices had stabilized.
That a number of citizens are not satisfied with high prices in supermarkets is also shown by the boycott of retail chains announced today, which has been called for days by groups of civic activists, non-governmental organizations and unions, and partly by the government. The same protest is taking place today in Croatia and Serbia.
A boycott modeled after the recent one in Croatia and some other countries in Europe. Countries have taken different approaches, from boycotting only certain retail chains that are considered to have increased prices the most, to boycotting all of them for a longer period of time, several days or weeks.
Yesterday, Đeljošaj did not say precisely whether he supports the boycott or not, but he said that he advocates purchasing domestic products, which he will do in the coming days.
"It doesn't necessarily mean that something good in another country will be good in Montenegro. I don't see how this in Croatia can affect our economy," he stressed.
The government's analysis compared the prices of the domestic retail chain "Voli", the Croatian "Konzum" and "Idea" from Serbia, and the list includes a number of products, including oil, flour, sugar, chocolate, milk, rice, meat, shampoos...
The biggest difference was recorded in the case of ground beef, whose kilogram in Montenegro costs 7,7 euros, which is 3,3 euros cheaper than in Croatia and two euros cheaper than in Serbia. However, in these neighboring countries, prices of meat from different companies were recorded, so in Croatia a kilogram of "PIK" costs 11 euros, while in Serbia it costs 9,6 euros at "K plus".
Thus, in the case of eggs, baskets of ten pieces were compared, with Montenegro recording class “S”, Croatia “A” and Serbia class “A”, but smaller in size. Thus, logically, Serbia is the most affordable with 1,9 euros per basket, followed by Montenegro with 2,3 euros and Croatia with 2,65 euros.
The situation is similar with Colgate toothpaste, where a different type with more milliliters was recorded in Montenegro than in Croatia. Thus, a 100 milliliter bottle of Kaladont costs 2,1 euros in Croatia, and a 125 milliliter package costs 2,3 euros in the domestic market. The same is true of yogurt, which in Montenegro costs about two euros for a 700 milliliter glass, which is 70 cents less than in Serbia and a euro less than in Croatia.
However, only in Montenegro is it yogurt in a glass, while in Croatia yogurt is compared with 50 grams more.
When it comes to a liter package, it is about ten cents cheaper in Montenegro than in Serbia, costing 1,3 euros, while its price in neighboring Croatia is 1,65 euros.
A whole “Cekin” chicken for grilling costs 2,35 euros per kilogram in Montenegro, while in Croatia it refers to the same brand but fresh chicken, and costs 3,3 euros. In Serbia, a whole chicken from the “Umk” manufacturer costs 2,5 euros.
The exceptions are the “Milka” chocolates of the “noisete” and white types, which cost 1,3 euros each in the domestic market. “Noisete” is 2,1 euros in Croatia, and white is two and a half, while in Serbia they cost 2,1 euros and two, respectively. Oil is the cheapest of the three countries in Montenegro and costs 1,3 euros, while in Croatia it is 1,4 euros, and in Serbia it is 1,45 euros. The table also compares “Vital” oil, whose liter package is slightly cheaper in Serbia. The same is the case with T400 flour, which costs 56 cents in Montenegro, which is slightly cheaper in Serbia, while its price in Croatia is 80 cents.
Montenegro is more affordable in the case of sugar, whose kilogram costs about 80 cents, or 20 cents less than in the region. Buying salt per kilogram is also about 20 cents cheaper, while the prices of milk without a cap are comparable. A Tetrapak “Moja Kravica” with a cap still costs 1,15 euros, while the same is 1,3 euros in Serbia. Croatia is in the lead in this category, whose “Dukat” costs one euro.
Long grain rice is the cheapest in Serbia and costs 1,15 euros, with the caveat that this item is on sale until mid-February. In Montenegro, this product costs 1,20 euros, while in Croatia it is two euros. A box of "Barilla" spaghetti is the cheapest regionally in Croatia, where it costs 1,1 euros, while in Montenegro it is 1,3 euros, with the semolina type listed in Serbia - which costs 2,2 euros.
The sectors in which Montenegro is leading in terms of lower prices are carrots, lemons, apples and potatoes. A kilogram of carrots in Montenegro costs a little more than half a euro, in Serbia 70 cents, and in Croatia 90 cents. Lemons are 50 cents cheaper than in the region, and cost a euro. Depending on the type of apple, prices are cheaper by ten to 80 cents than in the region, and white potatoes also cost about ten cents less. Red ones cost the same as in Serbia, or 75 cents per kilogram.
In the case of chocolate, different companies and weights were also taken, so “Pionir” milk 80 grams costs 90 cents in Montenegro, “Dorina” in Croatia around a euro, while in Serbia “Dorina” 100 grams costs 1,7 euros. The prices of shower gel are almost identical in Montenegro and Croatia, with a difference of two cents in favor of the domestic market.
A liter of shampoo is also more affordable, costing 90 cents, while in Croatia it is 30 cents more expensive and in Serbia it is 40 cents more expensive.
Draft law on commodity reserves in April
Montenegro is working on forming commodity reserves, and in April, activities will be completed to update emergency procurement, the study conducted for these purposes by the Faculty of Economics, as well as the Draft Law on Commodity Reserves.
This was announced at a press conference yesterday by the Director General of the Directorate for Internal Market and Competition, Jasna Vujović.
She pointed out that activities have begun to update data in the new emergency procurement plan through a UNDP project to update data from the study by the Faculty of Economics, which that institution prepared for the Government on reserves in 2022.
"We are updating the data and financial aspects of commodity reserves. We have started work on the Draft Law on Commodity Reserves. We expect these activities to be completed in April," Vujović said, emphasizing that the study showed that reserves are necessary and that they will create economic security and price stability.
Đeljošaj emphasized that they are working in a planned and strategic manner, and that a legal basis is being created for the formation of commodity reserves.
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