Care Basket initiative cheeses found with excessive water content

A study by the Active Consumers Association has revealed that nearly half of the cheeses tested under the government-backed ‘Care Basket’ initiative contain excessive water content. Out of 12 brands examined, five contained more than 60% water, and three exceeded 65%. One brand also showed an extremely low fat content of approximately 5%, leading to suspicions regarding the use of powdered milk instead of traditional production methods.

The investigation included products purchased from 10 different retail chains across Sofia, Varna, and Tervel. While the cheese results were concerning, testing of six types of cow butter from the initiative showed no deviations.

The Association has called on the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency to more effectively detect and prevent the sale of substandard dairy products, noting that some producers may be exploiting the government campaign to offer low-quality goods under the guise of discounted prices. The ‘Care Basket’ initiative, launched in June 2026, is a joint project between the government and major retailers aimed at mitigating inflation by offering discounts of at least 15% on essential goods.