Bulgaria to create central electronic food price register

The Bulgarian government is developing a central electronic register for food prices to provide regulators with real-time data. Prime Minister Rumen Radev announced during a parliamentary hearing that this tool is intended to help the Commission for Consumer Protection and the Commission for Protection of Competition identify unfair trade practices and unjustified price increases.

Radev noted that while similar registers exist in several other European countries, this would be a first for Bulgaria. The register is intended to function as part of a broader control system involving legislative changes and new working methodologies.

Regarding recent market trends, the Prime Minister reported that food prices saw increases from January to April, followed by deflation between May and August. However, he noted a slight upward trend in September. While the government has engaged in dialogue with major food chains through the ‘Care Basket’ initiative—which resulted in voluntary commitments to lower prices—Radev stated that more serious measures are necessary to ensure transparency and balance within the market.