site.btaConsumer Rights Watchdog Reports Results of Pre-Easter Inspections

The Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) Tuesday reported an increase in violations by retail outlets during the days around Easter this year compared to 2022, which was when such inspections were previous  held. Between April 8 and 16, a total of 239 inspections were carried out across the country, 161 of them jointly with the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA). A total of 20 violations were identified - significantly more than the 8 in 2022.

The most common violations included lack of clearly displayed prices, discrepancies between labeling and actual product origin, and misleading commercial practices. In some cases imported lamb and strawberries were tagged as locally produced. In other cases there was no reliable information to support the listed ingredients. The CPC also found frequent omissions in price labeling: missing unit prices and prices being displayed in a barely visible manner. In some cases, the mandatory consumer complaints register was missing.

Sanction procedures have already been initiated. In cases of unfair practices, fines can reach up to BGN 50,000, CPC said.

An inspection of 27 online stores, mainly in the electronics sector, also revealed 9 cases where the duration of a promotion was not indicated, in violation of the Consumer Protection Act.

Inspections will continue during the upcoming holidays. The Commission encourages citizens to report suspected violations. CPC Chair Maria Filipova called on traders to act responsibly, emphasizing that the increased number of violations reflects a troubling trend.