site.btaNRA Finds Increased Food Prices Not Based on Objective Economic Factors

A rise in the prices of essential food items has been detected in checks across the country, the National Revenue Agency (NRA) said at a press conference on Wednesday.

The NRA, the Commission for Protection of Competition and the Consumer Protection Commission gave a joint briefing at the NRA headquarters to announce the results of inspections carried out at retail outlets across the country. 

"Based on the analysis and information we received from the NRA on Friday, an overcharge was found for certain types of essential food items, which is without clear reason and objective economic factors,” said Chair of the Commission for Consumer Protection (CCP) Maria Filipova at a joint briefing with the Executive Director of the NRA Rumen Spetsov and Chair of the Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC) Rosen Karadimov, at which they presented the results of the checks carried out in retail outlets across Bulgaria.

On June 6, the three institutions signed a cooperation agreement which provides for enhanced joint monitoring and coordination of the changeover process. Within the framework of the agreement, the NRA and the CCP provided the CPC with the results of the joint control actions carried out between June 3 and 17 in the retail outlets. The inspections covered more than 150 retail chains and local shops in more than 30 cities across the country. 

Some of the goods that were found overpriced were mineral water, eggs, cow's yoghurt, cow's fresh milk, cow's cheese, sunflower oil, mince mix, flour, rice, potatoes, various types of mince mix. Filipova explained that the increase that is being seen is not just in the large grocery chains, but also in stand-alone outlets. The percentage increase is different for the respective regional centres in the country - the largest is in Veliko Tarnovo, the smallest - in Plovdiv region, Filipova said.

The Chair of the CPC said that a single portal is to be created which will include not only goods but also essential services such as those in the telecommunications sector, which will show the price fluctuations of essential goods and services on a weekly basis. In this way, there will be traceability for the whole society and for the regulatory authorities of what is happening at any given moment in commercial outlets, Filipova said.