Digitalisation, inflation, artificial intelligence and changing consumer habits were at the heart of the inaugural conference, bringing together leading retail and FMCG professionals from Croatia and the wider region.

More than 300 participants, including leading figures from Croatia’s retail and FMCG sectors, international experts, and representatives of major retail and manufacturing companies, gathered yesterday at the Zagreb Fair Congress Centre for the first edition of Fast Moving Retail 2026 – a new regional business event dedicated to the key challenges and opportunities shaping retail, consumption and the FMCG industry.

At a time when the market is undergoing one of its most significant transformations in decades – driven by inflationary pressures, changing consumer behaviour, rapid digitalisation and the rise of artificial intelligence – the conference offered practical insights, analyses and real-world examples of how retail is evolving and where it is headed.

The conference’s key message was clear: technology and digitalisation are transforming the way retail operates, but the customer and their experience remain at the centre of every business decision.

Customers Are More Demanding Than Ever

“Today’s customers want the best prices and promotions, a fast shopping experience, everything in one place, and a wide product assortment. These are the challenges we continuously adapt to through different store formats,” said Ivan Slavica, Member of the Management Board and Chief Commercial Officer of Studenac, during the “Pulse of the Industry” panel discussion.

Tomislav Smolčec, President of the Management Board of METRO Croatia, highlighted the increasing changes taking place in the HoReCa and professional segments.

“The hospitality sector now has significantly different expectations from suppliers and is increasingly demanding ready-to-use products,” said Smolčec, emphasising the challenges posed by seasonality and major fluctuations in logistics demand in the Croatian market.

Martin Evačić, President of the Croatian Employers’ Association Retail Association, pointed out that retail is increasingly shaped by entirely new consumer habits, particularly highlighting the challenges faced by smaller retailers in logistics and supply chain management.

Panel participants agreed that promotional campaigns remain one of the most important tools for attracting customers, while private label products are increasingly becoming an independent purchasing choice rather than merely a lower-cost alternative to manufacturer brands.

Consumers Are Not Depressed, but They Are Concerned

Inflation, rising prices and changing consumer behaviour were among the conference’s central topics.

Igor Grudenić, Customer Success Leader Adriatics at NielsenIQ, presented current retail and consumer market trends. He highlighted that as many as 96% of Croatian consumers feel that prices continue to rise, while at the same time a certain degree of optimism remains present among citizens.

“We can confidently say that Croatia is in the more optimistic half of Europe when it comes to consumer expectations,” said Grudenić.

Drago Munjiza, Managing Partner for Croatia and Slovenia at EIM Group and Interim Board Member for Commercial Affairs at ROX Group, analysed the performance of Croatia’s leading retailers and the impact of inflation on the retail sector.

“When inflation is excluded, the average revenue growth of leading retailers over the past eight years has been between seven and seven and a half percent,” Munjiza noted.

Insights into actual consumer sentiment were also presented by experts from YouGov.

“Croatian consumers are not depressed, but they are concerned,” said Predrag Ćirović, explaining that shoppers today plan their spending more carefully, compare prices and increasingly choose private label products.

At the same time, according to data presented by Ana-Marija Benić from YouGov, as many as 84% of shoppers actively follow promotional offers.

Physical Retail Is Not Disappearing

Presentations on the future of retail, digitalisation and artificial intelligence attracted significant attention from participants.

Darko Pavić, Founder and CEO of Fiscal Solutions, discussed the global transformation of retail and the changing role of physical stores.

“The growth of digital commerce is faster than many assume, but the importance of physical retail is also much greater than people expect, because humans are social beings,” Pavić emphasised.

Ivan Junaković from Ipsos Adria West also stressed the importance of understanding actual consumer behaviour, noting that real purchasing behaviour often differs significantly from what consumers report in surveys.

Brands Must Create Emotional Connections

One of the highlights of the conference was a keynote presentation by internationally recognised retail expert Jack Stratten from Insider Trends, who has repeatedly been recognised by organisations such as RETHINK Retail and the National Retail Federation as one of the world’s leading retail experts and analysts.

In his presentation, Stratten spoke about the concept of “brand gravity” and the importance of emotional connections between brands and consumers.

“Brands must invest in their identity, their story and their emotional connection with customers. Simply being present in the market is no longer enough,” Stratten said.

He added that the ability to create an authentic story and clear differentiation will be one of the key factors determining brand survival over the next ten to twenty years.

More Than a Conference: Networking, Matchmaking and Business Opportunities

With its first edition, Fast Moving Retail has already established itself as a new meeting point for the retail and FMCG industries in the region, connecting retailers, manufacturers, distributors, technology companies and solution providers.

Unlike traditional conference formats, a special focus was placed on practical business interactions and networking through the expo zone and the Confiva digital matchmaking platform, which enabled participants to arrange business meetings in advance.

“We launched Fast Moving Retail with a clear vision – to create a platform that goes beyond the traditional conference format and delivers real value to participants. Today, the industry needs practical insights, open discussions and high-quality connections. That is exactly what we aim to provide – a place where decision-makers meet and new business partnerships are formed,” said Maroje Sabljić, Conference Organiser and Editor-in-Chief of Ja TRGOVAC magazine and portal.

Zlatna Košarica 2026: Recognising Excellence in Retail and FMCG

As part of the conference, the Zlatna Košarica 2026 awards were presented to the most successful companies and products in Croatia’s retail and FMCG industry.

The Small Retailer of the Year award went to OPG Cesarec / Štacun Zagorci, while Marker was named Technology Supplier of the Year. The Product of the Year award was presented to Jamnica for its Jamnica Lemonade and Jamnica Orangeade products.

The Socially Responsible Company of the Year award was won by dm-drogerie markt, which was also named Retailer of the Year 2026.

More information about the conference is available at:
https://fastmovingretail.com/