site.btaConsumer Basket Up to BGN 101 in Past Week

The cost of goods in Bulgaria’s consumer basket increased by BGN 1 in a week, reaching BGN 101, said Vladimir Ivanov, Chair of the State Commission on Commodity Exchanges and Wholesale Markets, at a Monday briefing. He presented the Commission’s weekly review of wholesale price movements for basic food products.

Ivanov noted that the consumer basket is an indicative tool intended to inform the public about developments on the wholesale market and allow comparisons with retail prices. Its purpose is to track trends in wholesale trade and assess whether these are passed along the supply chain to retail, enabling consumers to make informed decisions. He added that the market remains normal and seasonally typical.

Among fruits and vegetables, prices declined for onions, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, lemons and oranges over the past week. Tomatoes, cucumbers, red and green peppers, zucchini, grapes and apples became more expensive. Ivanov noted that these fluctuations concern mainly out-of-season products and are characteristic for December, adding that cucumber prices are under the strongest pressure due to very limited supply.

At wholesale level, price increases were recorded for yellow cheese, cheese, butter, beans, sugar, flour, yoghurt, fresh milk and chicken meat. Pork and rice became slightly cheaper, while sunflower oil and eggs retained their prices from the previous week.

Ivanov said weekly variations remain minimal and no clear trend is forming among basic food products. Compared with the same period in 2024, the value of the consumer basket is practically unchanged at BGN 101.

Presenting year-to-date data, Ivanov said prices since January 1 show mixed movements. Sugar, beans, rice and sunflower oil are currently cheaper, while flour, eggs, yellow cheese, white cheese and chicken meat have increased. Fresh milk remains relatively stable, with only minor fluctuations during the year.

In the fruit and vegetable segment, prices of tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, onions, red and green peppers and zucchini are lower than at the beginning of the year, while cucumbers, lemons, oranges and apples are more expensive. Ivanov attributed most of the increases in fruit prices to unfavorable climate conditions, poor harvests and limited supply.

Overall, the market remains balanced, with average annual inflation for basic food products estimated at between 2% and 3%. No atypical or non-market factors are affecting price formation, Ivanov said.

He added that a joint comparative analysis conducted with the Consumer Protection Commission shows that wholesale and retail price curves remain evenly spaced, indicating that wholesale trends are consistently reflected at retail level.