Bulgarian Consumers Boycott Supermarkets Over Rising Food Prices

Bulgarian Consumers Boycott Major Supermarkets Over Rising Food Prices

Bulgarian consumers have launched a boycott of major food retail chains amid rising grocery prices, sparking widespread calls for tighter price regulation. The protest, which took place on February 20—the second boycott this year—resulted in nearly a 30% drop in the stores' turnover, according to local media.

Consumer Demands and Criticism

Shoppers are demanding that lawmakers impose stricter controls on food prices and force supermarkets to limit their profit margins on essential products to less than 30%. "I hope it works out. I don't approve of the extremely aggressive policies of the big grocery chains," said Ivet Tabakova, a grocery store owner. She added that while supermarkets attract customers with sharply discounted items on a few products, the rest of the goods carry very high markups.

Impact on Small Grocers

For many small grocery store owners, the boycott has been a welcome boost. With customers turning to local shops for basic necessities like sugar, flour, yoghurt, and oil, these retailers are seeing increased sales. Owners believe that a more balanced pricing strategy could benefit the broader community, ensuring fairer prices across the market.

Organizers Call for Legislative Action

The boycott’s organizers are urging the Bulgarian parliament to pass a law regulating food prices, specifically calling for profit margins on foodstuffs to be capped at less than 30%. They have scheduled another boycott for February 27 and are pressing authorities to take immediate action.

Government Response

In response to mounting consumer pressure, government officials have announced new measures aimed at shortening supply chains and curbing unfair pricing practices. Ignat Asenov, head of the Commission for Consumer Protection, stated, "We are monitoring how information is provided to consumers and whether there is any deception. Also, we are checking the correctness of prices and unrealistic promotions." He added that the data collected from these inspections will be instrumental in drafting future legislation to regulate supply chain contracts.

A Regional Trend

This protest is part of a broader wave of consumer action across the Balkan region, where similar boycotts have been reported in Croatia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, and Greece. As food inflation continues to rise, these movements underscore the urgent need for policy reform to protect consumers from excessive price hikes.