Trade unions in Croatia have labeled this year's holiday shopping basket as the costliest ever, as shared by national broadcaster HRT.

The unions highlight that the most lavish festive basket in Croatia totals 417 euros, while the most economical amounts to 98 euros.

Krešimir Sever, head of the Independent Croatian Trade Unions, emphasizes that the true festive basket, rich in tradition, falls under the most generous category.

However, Sever points out that assembling a budget-friendly holiday basket would involve solely discounted items, underscoring that not all customary Christmas products can be found at reduced prices. Notably, fish, a requisite component of the Catholic Christmas Eve meal, stands out as the most expensive item in Croatian markets presently.

"We're anticipating total spending to exceed 3.2 billion euros," Sever states.

The report highlights the diverse approach to holiday spending, acknowledging those meticulously watching every cent while others express a sentiment of indulgence during the festive season, citing, "It's Christmas, it's the holidays—if not now, then when?"

It's worth noting that Croatia officially entered the Eurozone and adopted the Euro as its currency on January 1, 2023.