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Despite modern retail formats, for many cultures, informal markets (street markets, farmers’ markets, or wet markets in Asia), fleas, and bazaars still remain an important part of life. The purpose of this paper is to provide further insight into the characteristics of informal retailers, and to explain their growth and longevity in markets.

In order to explore what attracts customers to informal retail markets, a survey conducted on the sample of Croatian consumers was carried out.

The results show that consumers point out fresh, affordable, and healthy products and relationships with vendors as the main advantages, while weather conditions, unattractive food, and crowds are the disadvantages and barriers of purchasing at informal markets.

The results presented give directions for various subjects on how to increase the popularity of informal markets.

This paper addresses consumers’ perception of informal markets in the context of an emerging country. With the literature review, and the results of the explorative survey, it contributes to the knowledge on this type of retailing.

Due to the growing trend of consuming healthy food, which reproduces the ideal of the food the authors tried in their childhood, an increasing number of researchers have brought together the values of tradition, nostalgia and food. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between food and nostalgia in order to find out in which way they affect each other.

In order to explore the perspectives of traditional food in re-collecting and re-experiencing positive past experiences, both qualitative and quantitative techniques were used in two stages. First, focus group interviews were conducted with ten restaurant chefs in three different regions of Croatia. Then, a survey was carried out with 362 Croatian consumers.

Focus group results show that although traditional food creates new opportunities for differentiation, finding the right ingredients and time for cooking traditional food is still a problem. There is a low interest in traditional food in restaurants, as domestic patrons mostly worry about the high prices, while foreign ones do not know anything about such foods due to the inadequate promotion of Croatian gastronomic offer. Survey results indicate that consumers are familiar with traditional Croatian food, eat it regularly at home and consider it as food with high-quality aspects that reminds them of their childhood and positive past experiences.

The results presented in this paper give some directions for subjects involved in the manufacturing industry, tourism, the restaurant industry, etc. to devise ways of reminding their customers of childhood memories, family ties, etc.

A relatively small number of food-centred studies are directly concerned with nostalgia. Many more studies investigate food in social changes, related to ethnic elements, etc. Considering an extensive literature review, and the analysis of data in the qualitative and quantitative study, this paper addresses two multidimensional and complex concepts which are powerful predictors of customer satisfaction.

A country image is a generic construct created by a wide range of factors as representative products, national characteristics, economic and political backgrounds, history and traditions. In times when environmental protection and performance have become two of the world’s most important priorities, such a general view of a particular country should include green dimensions as well. Literature review suggests a lack of literature on the coexistence of country image and green orientation. The goal of the chapter is to bridge the gap in the research literature about the green image of a country and to explore the level of awareness of its existence among tourists. Therefore, after secondary (desk) research, primary (field) research in two stages was conducted. Both qualitative and quantitative techniques were used in both stages. Firstly, group interviews were conducted among tourists in the capital of Croatia. Then, a survey was carried out with 250 tourists who shared their perception of the environmental practices in Croatia. The research results indicate that Croatia has a green image mostly because of its unspoiled nature and natural food assortment. However, the implementation of environmentally responsible activities is lacking, especially those related to waste and energy management, as well as fundamental knowledge and experience of Croatian citizens on how ecological awareness contributes to higher quality of life.

This chapter explains the interrelationships between trade markets of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia, which have experienced the same political, economical, and social changes due to their postwar market orientation. Particularly, the research is focused on the relationships between retailers and their suppliers, the effects of 2008 financial crisis, and changes in customer behavior on those markets.

The chapter builds upon the investigation of the existing literature on trade in selected Southeast European (SEE) countries targeting three time-periods: planned economy era; period after the launch of the economic transition; and the European Union (EU) accession preparation era. The supporting fieldwork is based on qualitative interviews with senior managers in trade companies operating on all investigated markets. Results are compared with other secondary data sources.

The research has contributed to the understanding of similarities and differences on three markets of former Yugoslavia: Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia. Four areas are used as a framework for explaining the level of cooperation and interdependence between trade companies on investigated markets: changes in retail forms, growth in retail operations, increasing importance of the relationships with suppliers, and penetration of private labels.

Results of the study provides some directions for suppliers on the selected markets and for retailers as well. As retailers rely on their key suppliers, local suppliers should offer them elements of differentiation. On the other hand, results give an insight into actual situation on the markets of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia regarding retail structure, number of retail forms, private labels, etc.

Considering an extensive literature review, the analysis of data given in official statistical databases, as well as qualitative study among trade managers, these findings have important managerial implications for retailers and suppliers.