SHOPPING IN ZAGREB

- General
- Shopping hours
- Payment
- General shopping tips

GENERAL
The shopping scene in Zagreb is changing all the time. Nowadays, in most of the big stores you will find English-speaking staff but, elsewhere, arm yourself with a big smile, a few key words of Croatian, especially please (molim), thank you (hvala), yes (da) and no (ne), throw in a bit of sign language and you'll get there.
Generally speaking, most things are now available in Zagreb, but it is sometimes necessary to visit several stores to find what you need. If you see a favourite product, then buy it: it may not be there the next time you go shopping.
Address tip: If you see no street number indicated, but just the letters 'bb', this shop is often set back off the street, sometimes in a alleyway. ('bb' stands for bez broja which means 'without a number').

SHOPPING HOURS Working hours: radno vrijeme, Open: otvoreno, Closed: zatvoreno, Way in: ulaz, Exit: izlaz, Push: vuci, Pull: rini

Days of the week (Mon-Sun):
ponedjeljak, utorak, srijeda, četvrtak, petak, subota, nedjelja

Public holiday: blagdan

Around the New Year, if you see the sign inventura on the door and the shop is shut, they are stock-talking!
Seasonal Sale: sezonska rasprodaja; Sale: sniženje; Promotion: akcija
Most food shops and stores are open Monday to Saturdays 08:00-20:00. Dolac market, bakeries and bigger supermarkets are also open on Sunday mornings, most of shopping centres are open all day Sunday until 21:00.

PAYMENT
Payment can be with cash (gotovina), but increasingly with a credit or debit card (kreditna or debitna kartica): Diners Club, MasterCard, Maestro, Eurcard, Visa and American Express. When buying items in the more expensive range, paying in cash sometimes is rewarded with a 10% discount (but not always, so it is best to ask). In this section the following abbreviations apply:
AE American Express
DC Diners Club
MC MasterCard
Maestro Maestro
EC Eurocard

GENERAL SHOPPING TIPS
Many shopping trolleys require a 2kn or 5kn coin to be inserted into trolley/cart to release it from others. When you return the trolley and attache it back, the money will be returned.
Carrier bags are rarely free and you will need to request the number you need (which is sometimes tricky guesswork) or better yet, bring your own bags and think green. The phrase for 'Could I please have a bag?' is 'Molim Vas jednu vrećicu?' Substitute another number for jedan (one) if you need more. The cashier will usually charge you a nominal fee. Of course, you must also bag your own groceries.
When buying drinks such as beer in glass bottles, or sometimes one litre wine bottles, you will almoust certainly be asked if you have brought back any empty bottles. If not, you will pay a deposit on the bottle(s) you are purchasing. Say 'želim kaucirati bocu' ('I want to pay a deposit on the bottle). The cashier should then write something on your receipt to this effect. Keep this receipt and, when you return the empty bottle(s), you will receive your deposit back when you go trought the check-out. Super  Konzum and some of the other superstores wil take back any bottles without the receipt and return your deposit money. (A non-returnable bottle says on it nepovratna boca and a returnable bottle, povratna boca).
Returns: in theory, goods are guaranteed against malfunction and should be returnable, but only with a receipt. With clothing, returns are possible, as long as all labels are still on and you have your original receipt. You are likely to be offered a credit note for the store, rather than money back or having the item credited to your charge card.
Some of the bigger stores do not allow you to bring in any purses or personal bags, but lockers are provided.