site.btaUPDATED Consumer Protection Commission Raises Awareness on World Consumer Rights Day

On World Consumer Rights Day, March 15, experts from the Commission for Consumer Protection (CPC) organize initiatives aimed at raising awareness among consumers about their rights, making an informed choice of goods and services, and protecting themselves in case of scams. This year, World Consumer Rights Day is themed "Safe Products, Confident Consumers".

On the occasion, CPC Chair Alexander Kolyachev told BTA that the Commission received over 36,861 complaints in 2025, with the majority related to the transition to the euro, online commerce, and tourism services. He explained that specific actions had been taken in response to the reports, with over 22,800 complaints leading to audits, cross-checks, or other monitoring activities carried out by the Commission’s experts.

“In cases where the issues fall within the jurisdiction of other institutions, the reports are forwarded to the competent authority to ensure an adequate response and consumer protection. In addition to written complaints, citizens actively use the National Consumer Hotline, through which over 15,600 consultations were provided in 2025. Through this service, people receive quick information about their rights - for example, regarding complaints, issues with online purchases, disputes with merchants, or questions related to service contracts. The growing number of reports is a sign that consumers are becoming more informed and active in protecting their interests,” Kolyachev noted.

“During the transition to the euro, most complaints were related to incorrect labeling and the conversion from leva to the single European currency, but this process was gradually brought under control, and I believe that thanks to our work, the situation has normalized,” he said. 

In e-commerce, complaints most often concern delayed deliveries, undelivered goods, difficulties in returning products, or refusals to refund payments, he specified.

In an interview with BTA, Commission for Consumer Protection member Tsvetislava Lakova presented the most common risks for consumers when shopping online. 

It is important for consumers to make informed purchasing decisions based on the information provided in advance by retailers, she said. She warned consumers not to trust unrealistically low prices, especially when products are advertised as "brand-name," or unusual terms in offers, such as claims of a 180-day or longer return policy, and not to shop on unusual retail platforms - unknown websites, pop-up ads, and the like.

"When consumers shop through platforms that lease their retail space to other merchants, they need to be careful. In this case, consumers enter into a contract with the respective merchant, not with the platform owner, and if they need to exercise their right of withdrawal or file a complaint, they must contact the merchant from whom they made the purchase. This can be difficult or nearly impossible if the merchant is outside the European Union," Lakova warned. Before making a purchase on a platform, it is advisable for the consumer to read reviews from customers who have purchased the same product from that merchant.

"In cases where we purchase goods online and, upon inspection after receiving them, have doubts about their authenticity, consumers must be aware of their rights, namely: The Consumer Protection Act allows them to withdraw from the contract within 14 days of receiving the goods. To do so, the consumer must notify the merchant in writing that they wish to cancel the contract, after which they must return the purchased goods; only then is the merchant obligated to refund the amount paid," explained Lakova.

World Consumer Rights Day was first declared in 1985 by the United Nations to demand that the rights of all consumers are respected and protected, and to protest against market abuses and social injustices which undermine those rights.