Law on Retail and Law on Consumers Rights Protection
Croatia’s brought new trade and consumer protection legislation aligns national laws with EU directives. These legal updates enhance transparency, establish a “Right to Repair,” ease online contract cancellations, regulate sales promotions to prevent artificial discounts, and implement stricter penalties against deceptive “greenwashing” practices.
Key Consumer Rights Changes
- Simplified Contract Cancellation: Distance contracts can be cancelled with a single “click” on the merchant’s website, matching the ease of the original signup process.Â
- The “Right to Repair”: Merchants cannot refuse to repair goods just because a third-party or consumer attempted it. Repair availability is guaranteed even after the standard warranty expires.Â
- Strict Sale Promotions: During clearance sales or promotional events, the reduced price must be calculated based on the lowest price the product was sold for in the preceding 30 days.Â
- No “Greenwashing”: Stricter regulations ban unverified, exaggerated, or false environmental claims.Â
Retail Trade Updates
- Regulated Shop Closures: Retail stores are generally closed on Sundays and national holidays, with retailers allowed a set number of open Sundays per year (chosen based on their business needs).
- Consumer Support: Online stores and services are required to offer direct communication with a human, rather than relying solely on automated chatbots.
During the process, which started in 2025, we were engaged by a Client to analyze the potential risks in different scenarios, open communication channels with the government and to represent the Client’s interests.
From the first draft of the law to the final version voted for in the Parliament, a number of regulations were changed in favour of the Client.
Client
Undisclosed
Date
2026
Our Role
Government affairs, Regulatory advisory