Bulgaria's federation of pensioners' unions wants the consumer protection commission (KZP) to keep checking food prices for unjustified mark-ups. It called on the government not to allow corporate pressure on the watchdog, the federation said in a statement.

The statement follows a request by the Association for Modern Trade for an urgent meeting with the prime minister and the economy minister over the KZP's actions. The retailers asked for the meeting on 14 October, two days after the commission published the results of its checks.

According to KZP data, the gap between the buying price and the shelf price reaches 141% for butter, 133% for cheese and 127% for tomatoes. For other basic foods, mark-ups are above 100%. The figures compare what a retailer pays for goods with what it charges in the shop.

The federation wants the checks to go on and to cover unjustified mark-ups, unclear pricing, misleading promotions and unfair trading practices. It also urges the state to make sure basic foods are immediately affordable for pensioners and people on low incomes. The pensioners' groups also want a seat at talks on prices and purchasing power, meaning how much a person can buy with their income.

Bulgaria has about 2m pensioners. For them, food prices decide whether they can cover basic needs after paying for electricity, heating, water and medicines, the federation says.

"Protecting consumers is not an attack on business, but a duty of the state," the statement says. The pensioners' groups say they find it worrying that the checks are being presented as institutional pressure, populism and a threat to public order.

The federation says the KZP data call for a thorough check, public explanations and a response from the authorities, not an attempt to silence the problem with accusations against the watchdog. Its position comes as food prices rise.

The federation promises to keep pushing for fair prices, transparency and oversight that protects pensioners in Bulgaria.