[foobarian]

Ex-pat Croat here. I came for a visit recently and I can't figure out how in the world there are so many Kauflands/Lidls/Konzums everywhere. Compared to Boston Metrowest the density just seems way out of whack. Is it the lack of property taxes? Maybe it's the tourists?

[imp0cat]

Well, from my experience, Lidl and Kaufland have stores pretty much everywhere in Europe. The Croatian ones are usually packed full of locals and tourists.

Quite a lot of people who travel to the Adriatic Coast use them to resupply. The local supermarkets are a lot more expensive, so if you're staying in an apartment at the beach for a week or two, it's worth it to make a few trips to a nearby Lidl to buy all the food, even if it means some extra driving.

Most stores there are probably quite empty during winter.