The HGK said that increased wages, resulting from tax reform, had a positive impact on citizens' optimism and consumption. Consumption was also boosted by an increase in the nontaxable portion of receipts for bonuses as more employers decided to pay extra wages, higher Christmas bonuses or other bonuses to their workers.
If the real growth of retail turnover continues at the present rate, the pre-crisis level could be reached next year and surpassed in 2020, the HGK said.
The estimate is based on the growth of retail sales, which have been growing steadily since 2014. In the first ten months of 2018, retail sales were 4.2 percent higher than in the corresponding period of 2017.
(EUR 1 = HRK 7.409411)