Bulgarian consumer protection chief criticizes high food markups

Maya Manolova, Chair of the Commission for Consumer Protection (CCP), has criticized retail chains for excessive markups on essential food products in Bulgaria. Citing Eurostat data, she noted that certain goods are sold at significantly higher prices than the European average: oils and fats are 142% higher, dairy and eggs are 126% higher, and sugar products are 116% higher.

Manolova stated that according to the Commission for Protection of Competition, markups in retail chains range from 80% to 130%. She described the current government approach as using reputational pressure through a “shame board” to reveal which retailers are charging above fair value, rather than implementing mandatory price caps.

While expressing skepticism that retailers will voluntarily reduce profits, Manolova advocated for legislative changes to introduce sanctions for significant deviations from fair value. She also noted that the Commission for Protection of Competition should impose heavy penalties in cases of market dominance and excessive pricing.