site.btaConsumer Basket Down to BGN 99 in Past Week

For another week, the market remained calm, without sharp fluctuations. The consumer basket decreased further by BGN 1, to BGN 99 in the past week, the Chairman of the State Commission on Commodity Exchanges and Markets, Vladimir Ivanov, told a briefing on Monday.

He said that this is unusual for this time of year and is likely due to the unseasonably good weather in November, which leads to market stabilization. According to him, the BGN 1-decrease is due to normal weekly variations and does not represent a trend toward either increase or decrease.

Ivanov said that the variations are small, showing that the market is stabilizing. He presented data from the beginning of the year, J anuary 1, 2025, to now.

Tomatoes at the beginning of the year were BGN 3.43/kg; they are now traded at BGN 2.62/kg. Cucumbers were BGN 3.37/kg at the start of the year, and now they are BGN 3.40/kg. Potatoes have dropped from BGN 1.21/kg to BGN 0.95/kg.

Cabbage was sold at BGN 1.33/kg at the start of the year and is currently BGN 0.80/kg. The price of carrots at the beginning of the year was BGN 1.24/kg, and now it is BGN 1.12/kg. The price of onions has decreased from BGN 1.05/kg to BGN 0.85/kg.

Red peppers, which cost BGN 4.80/kg on January 1, are currently traded at BGN 2.31/kg, while green peppers have decreased by BGN 2.48/kg from BGN 4.68/kg at the beginning of the year. Zucchini, priced at BGN 2.88/kg at the start of the year, are BGN 2.50/kg this week. Lemons, which cost BGN 2.35/kg, are now sold for BGN 3.40/kg.

Bananas have increased from BGN 2.63/kg to BGN 2.71/kg, making them the product with the most stable price throughout the year. The price of grapes, monitored since August 26, has dropped from BGN 3.63/kg to BGN 2.90/kg. Oranges have increased from BGN 1.85/kg on January 1 to BGN 2.38/kg now, while apples have increased from BGN 1.80/kg to BGN 2/kg.

Sugar cost BGN 1.98 on January 1 and is now BGN 1.79/kg. Beans decreased from BGN 4.34 to BGN 4.28/kg, while flour has risen from BGN 1.43/kg to BGN 1.53/kg. Rice traded at BGN 3.35 and costs currently BGN 3.37/kg. Sunflower oil has decreased from BGN 3.38 to BGN 3.24/l. Eggs, priced at BGN 0.36 a piece at the beginning of the year, traded at BGN 0.41 leva this week.

The price of yellow kashkaval cheese increased from BGN 17.57 on January 1 to BGN 18.15/kg. White brine cheese , which cost BGN 11.59 at the beginning of the year, is now traded at BGN 11.90/kg. Butter was BGN 3.08 at the start of the year, and as of today remains unchanged for a 125-g package.

Yogurt, which was BGN 1.32 on January 1, is sold this week for BGN 1.38 per 400 g. Milk was BGN 2.47 at the beginning of the year and now trades at BGN 2.30/l.

Pork, priced at BGN 10.10 at the start of the year, now sells for BGN 10.60/kg, while chicken increased from BGN 6.39 to BGN 6.71/kg.

Ivanov said that this is not an indicator of inflation but represents a change in the prices of goods from January 1, 2025 until now. According to him, when the statistical data from the National Statistical Institute are released, it will likely become clear that for the main food products the variation is between 2 and 3%. At the moment, the market is functioning normally, there is a healthy competitive environment, and there are no international conditions that would suggest unfavorable developments.

He added that at present the State Commission on Commodity Exchanges and Markets and the Consumer Protection Commission are conducting a joint analysis of retail prices in order to track them as well. The data they have from October 10 show that retail price trends largely coincide with wholesale price trends.