Shops shut again: the Sundays and holidays when you can't buy food in Croatia (1 and 18 November are next)

Croatian shops close on Sundays and public holidays, with only a few exceptions. 1 November (a Sunday) and 18 November (a Wednesday) are both holidays, so plan your food shopping. Here are the dates and a simple survival plan.

Published 2026-10-17 · Source checked 2026-10-16

Ever walked to the supermarket on a Sunday and found the doors locked? You are not alone. In Croatia, most shops close on Sundays and holidays, and the next two holidays are close.^[1][2]

Since 1 July 2023 the Trade Act closes shops on Sundays. Each trader may choose up to 16 Sundays a year to open and publishes them itself, so Konzum, Lidl, Spar or Tommy can differ from shop to shop and week to week.^[2]

Also read:Life in Croatia12 Croatian phrases you will use this week: shop, work and doctor, with how to say them

On public holidays, shops are closed just like on Sundays. Only branches exempt from the ban stay open.^[1]

The dates that matter next: Sunday 1 November (All Saints, Dan svih svetih) and Wednesday 18 November (Remembrance Day for the Victims of the Homeland War and Vukovar and Škabrnje). Then Friday 25 December (Christmas) and Saturday 26 December (St Stephen).^[1]

How strict is it? On 1 November, RadnaNedjelja.com tracks 5,185 branches and only 422 will be open: 409 of them Tisak kiosks, 11 Müller and 2 Supernova. In Zagreb, the shopping centres listed on radnovrijeme.hr are closed that day.^[1][3]

Sundays in between vary. For 18 October, nine Zagreb shopping centres are listed as open; for 25 October only four. Always check your own shop's page before you go.^[3][4]

What to do: 1) Do the big shop on Saturday 31 October. 2) Remember that Tisak kiosks are the most likely to be open on holidays, for basics and snacks. 3) Check the shop's own opening-hours page for Sundays. 4) If you work on a holiday, ask your employer how it is paid; our guide on overtime, night and Sunday pay explains what to look for. 5) Freeze some bread and cook a big pot, like our momo batch.

A shop being closed does not close the shop-floor jobs: many Nepali workers work in retail or delivery. Check your contract and payslip for holiday work. This is general information; check your own case with the Labour Inspectorate or your employer.

Which day do you most often forget to shop before? Tell us in the comments.

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