The State versus profiteering: Up to 35% markup on food products

17.05.2026 | Oversight and accountability

Minister Alexander Pulev has announced measures against unfair commercial practices. The government is introducing controls on markups for essential food items, aiming to limit profiteering to the European level of 20-35%.

Снимка от Андрей Романенко, Wikimedia Commons, под лиценз CC BY-SA 4.0

The state declares itself against unfair commercial practices

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Alexander Pulev stated categorically that the government is not at war with retail chains, but with practices that distort the market. In an interview with the BNR, he emphasized that the goal is to ensure fair prices for the Bulgarian consumer.

"We want to see market prices with a normal markup that is fair – within 20 to 35 percent, as proven in Europe, and not 130 percent," Pulev asserted.

Main government measures:

Minister Pulev emphasized that the government stands firmly behind the Bulgarian producer and insists that international chains comply with the rules applicable to every business in the country, regardless of their lobbying resources.