Romania’s Supermarket Boycott: February 10-16

In a move echoing recent consumer activism across Europe, Romania has seen a call to boycott supermarkets in response to soaring prices. Inspired by similar protests in Croatia, the initiative aims to pressure retailers to support local producers and curb inflation.

However, the approach has sparked debate among policymakers and economists.

The boycott movement gained momentum after Călin Georgescu, a prominent figure in Romanian politics, urged consumers to avoid shopping at major supermarket chains from February 10 to 16. Georgescu argued that these retailers do not adequately support domestic producers and have introduced self-checkout systems that reduce employment opportunities.

Besides, Georgescu stated that foreign companies report zero profit annually to pay no taxes in Romania, as they simply repatriate the profi...