Two big retail chains have each been fined €35,000 by Bulgaria's consumer protection commission (KZP) for repeating misleading promotions, the commission said.
Inspectors found the breaches after checks prompted by complaints from shoppers. In both cases, the terms at the till did not match what the promotion promised.
In a test purchase at the first chain, a pack of chicken was advertised at €3.04, but the till charged €4.34, the regular price. That is €1.30 more, or nearly 43% above the promotional price.
KZP says a low price on a label catches the buyer's eye and can shape what they choose. If the discount is missing at the till, the shopper is misled both about the real cost of the purchase and about the saving they were promised.
The second chain handed out thousands of leaflets advertising a non-food item, but the shop that was inspected had only two units. They sold out on the first day of the four-day campaign. On the other days, the ad drew in customers who could not buy the item at that shop.
The commission says the advertising was out of proportion to a stock of two units. It says the chain gave no objective reason for the small quantity and did not show that it offered an equivalent item at the advertised price.
Orders from the KZP chairman banning these practices are now in force for both chains. The practices continue, and penalty decrees have been issued. The chains can appeal against them.
KZP reminds traders that an advertised discount must apply at the point of payment. The amount of goods in a promotion must be reasonable, given how long the campaign runs and how big it is.
A shopper who sees a difference between the shelf price and the till price can report it to KZP. They should attach the receipt and a photo of the advertised price.
At its regular meeting on 29 October, the commission decided to fine two big chains for unfair trading practices at three outlets. The fines total €75,000, and each is the maximum the law allows.
On 9 November, KZP sent a new alert to the Commission for Protection of Competition after a check at a big retail chain. The check found markups of different sizes on comparable foods in the same product category. The differences exceed the 10% limit set by law.