A new boycott of large retail chains is set to take place today and tomorrow in Montenegro, following a previous one-day boycott that led to a significant drop in sales at the five largest supermarket chains.
The initiative, led by Alternativa Crna Gora (ACG), calls on citizens to boycott mega-markets again, arguing that despite wage and pension increases, high prices have left the rise in living standards unnoticeable.
“People, it’s time to say ENOUGH! Let our shopping carts remain empty in the megamarkets, let them see that they can’t function without us. Prices are skyrocketing, quality is declining, and our pockets are empty while their profits grow. We are the ones who buy, we are the ones who fill their registers, and we are the ones who can stop them. If we show them that we can live without them, they will have to listen. Let them feel the power of the people. Don’t buy for two days – buy dignity,” ACG wrote on social media.
The group encouraged citizens to shop in small, local stores if necessary and support those who stand with them, rather than those who they believe are exploiting them. “This is the voice of the people. If we don’t stop this arrogance, tomorrow we’ll be paying for bread with gold,” ACG stated.
According to the Tax Administration data, sales at the five largest supermarket chains on the previous Friday were 56.14% lower than the week before. The largest drop in sales was observed in the northern region, where sales were down by 61.4%, followed by a 57.89% drop in the central region and a 52.2% decrease in the southern region. Last Friday, the total sales from these five chains amounted to 1.22 million euros, compared to 2.79 million euros on January 24. On that day, 130,000 receipts were issued, 102,000 fewer than on January 24.
Zarija Pavićević from ACG previously told “Pobjeda” that they were pleased with the public response to the first boycott and that they were happy to see the unification of citizens around the issue of economic status. He stated that they do not aim to reduce profits for these companies but to send them a message they expect to be taken seriously. The two-day boycott is still seen as a warning, and Pavićević mentioned that the next step could involve a call for a boycott of the most expensive retail chain or a focus on meat and dairy products due to their limited shelf life. He distanced himself from recent calls on social media for a seven-day boycott, urging citizens to follow only the guidelines set by ACG as the official initiators.
