site.btaSmall Consumer Basket Rises 0.5% Monthly in June, 9% Annually

The cost of the small consumer basket in Bulgaria stood at EUR 61.82 in June, up 0.5% from its level in May. The figures were presented at a press conference at the headquarters of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) on Tuesday by Violeta Ivanova, Deputy Director of the CITUB Institute for Social and Trade Union Research and Training.

The survey of the prices of the most commonly purchased goods and services was conducted between June 3 and 8. It was carried out shortly before the Care Basket initiative came into effect, Ivanova said.

The most notable price increases were recorded for lemons, potatoes, pork and other products, while the prices of cucumbers and tomatoes declined. The annual increase in the cost of the small consumer basket is close to 9%, the expert added.

Although the cost of the small consumer basket rose by 0.5% month on month, households perceive inflation to be much higher, Ivanova said. She attributed this primarily to the already high price levels and low incomes. In Bulgaria, the average household spends around 30% of its budget on food, the CITUB expert explained.