Bulgaria's consumer watchdog has fined three big supermarket chains a total of 95,000 euros for misleading shoppers. Checks at their stores in Sofia and across the country are still going on.
One chain advertised a discount on pure butter, but the butter wasn't on the shelves while the promotion was running. A second chain did the same thing with a discount on sugar.
Both chains had already been fined once before for the same offence — the first in 2015, the second in 2016 — which is why this time they got the highest fines. The commission says advertising a discount on a product that isn't actually in the shop counts as unfair trading, and ignoring an earlier order brings the toughest penalty.
The third chain sold vegetables labelled with the wrong country of origin. The watchdog says this misleads shoppers, so it gave out the maximum fine the law allows.
Since October 2, inspectors have been checking the prices chains actually charge and how they run their promotions.
The commission says it's still gathering data on wholesale prices and will use it for a follow-up review.