site.btaCITUB Data Indicates Price Increases in Consumer Basket Goods

The value of the consumer basket increased by 0.5% in September compared to August, said Violeta Ivanova, Deputy Director of the Institute for Social and Trade Union Research of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB), on Wednesday. She presented data from the Institute's monitoring of the prices of 21 goods from the small consumer basket for the previous month.

Ivanova added that although there has been a slowdown on a monthly basis, prices have already reached the high levels seen in previous years. 

More significant increases were seen for chicken (2.8%), cucumbers (1%), and coffee (13%). The increase in coffee prices is also explained by the overall rise in the price of coffee beans since late 2024. A slight monthly decrease was reported for mineral water. The price of bread remained stable. According to CITUB data, the price of gasoline also remained stable on a monthly basis.

The union also reported significant deviations in retail and wholesale prices. CITUB data show that the typical markup on products is between 23% and 71% in retail trade. The markup for rice, fresh milk, cheese, eggs, tomatoes, etc. is over 50% for the end consumer compared to the stock market price. In small retail outlets, 10 out of 17 monitored items are sold at prices ranging from 6% to 12% lower than in large chains.

CITUB also commented that regional price differences continue.