Leading economic experts from the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) revealed large price differences between trading formats on a national scale. The study, conducted in July 2025, demonstrates a complex picture of market trends.
According to Lyuboslav Kostov, the union's chief economist, large retail chains offer higher prices for basic food products. The differentiation covers a wide range of goods – from bread and dairy products to vegetables and meat products.
The study covers 81 municipalities and over 600 trading sites, emphasizing regional specifics in pricing. Experts found that small stores offer between 1% and 10% lower prices for 21 categories of consumer basket goods.
Price fluctuations for different products show interesting trends. For example, lemons have increased by 9.6%, apples by 7.8%, chicken meat by 2.8%, while bread marks around 2% increase. Meanwhile, oil, tomatoes, and cucumbers show some price reduction.
Regional differences are particularly noticeable. Coffee is most expensive in the cities of Pernik and Gabrovo, pastries in Sofia, oil in Plovdiv, and white beans in Blagoevgrad. This geographical price imbalance underscores the complexity of market mechanisms.
Another significant point is the difference between retail and wholesale pricing, which varies between 30% and 70%. Monthly observation notes relative stability of the consumer basket due to a decline in some basic goods like rice and eggs.
The initiative is directly related to the upcoming introduction of the euro from January 1, 2026. CITUB has launched a large-scale monitoring to protect consumer interests and prevent unjustified price increases for goods and services.
Kostov emphasized the need for transparent and market-justified pricing that reflects the real economic relationships between economic entities.