One of the most successful examples of open data reuse in Serbia in recent years relates to the publication and use of retail price data. Thanks to regulatory measures aimed at increasing market transparency, 27 retail chains have started regularly publishing standardized price lists in machine-readable format through the national Open Data Portal.
These datasets have laid the foundation for the development of various analytical and digital solutions that will enable citizens, media, researchers, and institutions to more easily compare product prices across different retail chains such as Maxi, IDEA, DIS, Lidl, Univerexport, Roda, and others. Based on open data, it is already possible to monitor the movement of prices of essential food products, analyze price differences, track promotional offers, and identify market trends. A banner available on the website of the Ministry of Internal and External Trade (https://must.gov.rs/) redirects users to a visualization of these datasets.
In addition to the direct benefits for consumers, the initiative significantly contributes to greater market transparency and strengthens data-driven policymaking. Institutions and inspection authorities now have access to a centralized and reliable source of comparable data, enabling more efficient market monitoring and better-informed decision-making.
This example demonstrates how open data, when published in a standardized and reusable format, can generate tangible economic and social impact. By combining a regulatory framework, technical standards, and practical data use, Serbia has established a good practice example in the field of open data and market transparency.