site.btaUPDATED Government Launches "Care Basket" Initiative with 15% Price Cuts on Basic Food Products

The prices of products included in a basic consumer basket will be reduced by 15% for at least six months under the National Care Basket initiative, a joint campaign between the government and leading retail chains, Minister of Agriculture and Food Plamen Abrovski said at the launch of the initiative at the Council of Ministers on Friday.

Abrovski said some retail chains had committed to maintaining the discounts for a longer period and to expanding the range of products covered by the initiative.

He thanked representatives of the participating retail chains for the intensive discussions held over the past two weeks and for voluntarily joining the campaign to help Bulgarian consumers gain access to affordable, high-quality food.

In an interview earlier on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Investments and Industry Alexander Poulev said that the immediate priority was to address a much more pressing short-term challenge by demonstrating solidarity and social responsibility towards the most vulnerable households, pensioners and people in need of strong support and coordination between the government and modern retail chains.

Poulev said the initiative was intended to help vulnerable groups cope with the effects of the successive crises that have affected household budgets.

The event was opened by Prime Minister Rumen Radev, who said that keeping price increases of essential food products under control was one of the government's top priorities.

Radev thanked the representatives of the retail chains that had joined the initiative aimed at limiting the prices of basic food products.

"Today we are establishing a strategic partnership between the retail chains and the government, a partnership focused on ensuring stability, predictability and social responsibility towards the most vulnerable groups in society at a time of crisis and high inflation," the Prime Minister said.

He also thanked Poulev and Abrovski for their work on preparing the initiative over the past several weeks.