Bulgaria Intensifies Price Controls in Retail Sector Before Euro Introduction

As Bulgaria prepares for the adoption of the euro, the Consumer Protection Commission (CPCoo) has stepped up its supervisory activity, making price control a central focus of its work. Together with the National Revenue Agency (NRA), the commission is carrying out intensified and targeted inspections of grocery retailers, particularly those whose turnover in the previous financial year did not exceed BGN 10 million (approximately EUR 5.1 million).

Over the past week alone, the two institutions conducted a total of 80 joint inspections, with the CPCo acting as the lead authority in 42 of the cases. During each of these checks, inspectors required traders to present documentation and explanations justifying their pricing policies.

Earlier in December, the CPCo and NRA also ran a coordinated inspection campaign focused on shops selling meat, meat products and fish, with special attention given to fish products. Within this initiative, 111 joint inspections were carried out, 66 of which were led by the Consumer Protection Commission. In parallel with these joint actions, the CPCo independently requested pricing justifications and supporting documents from 167 traders after identifying price increases through the public price-monitoring platform “How much does it cost” (kolkostruva.bg).

Since 9 October 2025, the commission has issued 31 formal acts establishing administrative violations related to unjustified price hikes under the legislation governing the transition to the euro.

According to the CPCo, monitoring will continue to expand both in scope and across additional economic sectors. The commission emphasizes that its primary objective remains the protection of consumers, along with ensuring transparency, fairness and honest commercial practices during the sensitive period ahead of Bulgaria’s euro adoption.