Abstract
In a dynamic business environment in which organizations continuously compete for consumer trust, quality becomes a key imperative and directly affects sustainability, success, product recognition among consumers. In identifying products and services that meet high quality standards, the quality marks of the Croatian Chamber of Economy (CCE), Croatian Quality and Croatian Creation, play an important role. CCE quality marks are not merely marketing tools, they represent a guarantee that products and services have undergone independent verification, meet defined excellence criteria, and provide reliable confirmation of quality. These quality marks contribute to building consumer trust and promoting Croatian quality in both domestic and international markets, representing an investment in the future of Croatian businesses and the national economy as a whole. The aim of this paper was to analyze the impact of products and services branded with the Croatian Quality and Croatian Creation quality marks on their competitiveness and branding in an open market. The paper presents the procedure for awarding CCE quality marks and the scope of their use. The methodology is based on an analysis of the results of conducted empirical study, at the request of the CCE, by an independent specialized organization, using the methods of analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, description, and survey research. The results of the empirical study confirmed that CCE quality marks significantly enhance the competitiveness, branding, and recognition of Croatian products and require stronger promotion as a long-term investment.