site.btaParliament Passes on First Reading Consumer Protection Act Amendments against Rising Prices

Parliament passed at first reading amendments to the Consumer Protection Act submitted by Progressive Bulgaria (PB) MP Yavor Gechev and a group of MPs against high prices of goods and services on Thursday. The amendments were supported by 121 PB MPs and 15 MPs from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms. One PB MP voted against, as well as four from GERB-UDF, eight from Democratic Bulgaria (DB), 13 from Continue the Change and 12 from Vazrazhdane. Ten GERB-UDF MPs and 11 DB MPs abstained.

The bill transfers certain provisions from the Introduction of the Euro in the Republic of Bulgaria Act into the Consumer Protection Act, extending their validity by one year beyond the originally envisaged deadline. The provisions prohibit increases in the prices of goods and services offered to consumers where such increases are not economically justified. The bill outlines objective economic factors under which price increases may be considered justified, including rising supply and production costs, higher labour costs, increases in energy prices and others. The aim is to ensure transparency, verifiability and protection against unjustified and speculative price increases.

The bill also provides for an obligation for retailers of food products, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, non-food goods and medicinal products with turnover exceeding EUR 5,112,919 in the previous year to publish and provide pricing information daily in a machine-readable format.

The amendments are due to enter into force on August 9, 2026 and will apply until August 9, 2027.

During the debate, opposition MPs criticised the introduction of the term “fair price”. The sponsors explained that this does not constitute a price cap, but rather has informative value.