NRA Checks Shops for Unjustified Price Increases Following Euro Adoption

Fiscal inspectors from the National Revenue Agency (NRA) have conducted checks on nearly 150 food stores, bakeries, and butcher shops in the first days of April for unjustified price increases as a result of the introduction of the euro in the country, the revenue agency reports. The focus of the checks has been mainly on the prices of traditional Easter goods – eggs, lamb meat, and Easter bread. A total of 18 acts have been drawn up for the established violations. 

Unjustified price increases were found in about 8 percent of the inspected commercial establishments, and in 17 percent of the establishments, cash register receipts were issued that do not meet regulatory requirements, the statement says.

From October last year to the present, fiscal inspectors from the NRA have checked nearly 14,000 commercial establishments, among which the most are food stores and catering establishments.  

For the established violations to date, NRA inspectors have issued nearly 1,100 acts and over 400 penalty decrees with a total value of almost 1,027,675 euros. 

Massive checks in food stores for compliance with the Law on the Introduction of the Euro in the Republic of Bulgaria are continuing. The teams will request documents of origin of the goods, data related to suppliers, delivery and selling prices, delivered and sold quantities, delivery dates, turnover, expenses and others, the NRA adds.

According to the Law on the Introduction of the Euro in the country, during the period of dual display, traders who offer goods and services to consumers must set their prices fairly and transparently, and any price increase should be justified by objective economic factors, BTA recalls.