Bulgaria to enforce price hike bans following euro transition

The Bulgarian Commission for Consumer Protection (CCP) has announced that while mandatory dual pricing in levs and euros will end on August 9, 2026, price controls will remain in effect. From August 9, 2026, to August 9, 2027, a ban on economically unjustified price increases will be enforced under the Consumer Protection Act, with potential fines reaching up to 100,000 euros.

During the previous year of mandatory dual pricing, the CCP conducted 14,535 inspections. These resulted in 1,121 administrative violation reports, 474 settlements, and 272 penalties totaling 1,310,000 euros. Common violations included incorrect currency conversion, improper rounding, and unjustified price hikes.

Bogomil Nikolov, executive director of the Active Consumers Association, noted that the transition to the euro is entering a new phase. He warned against unfair practices, such as replacing a 5-lev price with 5 euros, particularly in the tourism sector. Nikolov emphasized that while consumers can still report unjustified increases to the CCP and the National Revenue Agency, traders may attempt to justify higher prices by citing increased production or energy costs.