Bulgarian consumer price monitoring and inspections

Bulgaria has initiated measures to combat excessive markups and unjustified price increases across various sectors. Initially, legislative focus centered on the food industry, where officials identified markups as high as 100-120%, which were described as “pure robbery of consumers.” To address this, the government introduced a “fair price” indicator to benchmark deviations from economically justified values and planned a digital food traceability system to monitor supply chains.

Following these developments, the Commission for Consumer Protection (CCP) expanded its oversight through a nationwide inspection initiative. This effort moved beyond food to include the entertainment, sports, and culture sectors, such as fitness centers and aquaparks, as well as the restaurant and hotel industries. Additionally, the CCP began monitoring school supplies and educational services in preparation for the academic year, alongside price checks for hair and cosmetic services.