Bulgarian consumers boycott big supermarkets in protest against rising food prices

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Consumers in Bulgaria have launched a boycott of major food chains and supermarkets in the country due to dissatisfaction with rising food prices. Consumers are demanding a price control law and asking supermarkets to limit their profit margins on food to less than 30 %. Another boycott is planned for Thursday, 27 February.

The boycott, which took place on Thursday 20 February and was the second this year, led to a nearly 30% drop in store turnover, according to local media.

Many consumers in the country are reportedly hoping that the boycott will bring about a change in prices.

"I hope it works out. I don't agree with the extremely aggressive policies of the big supermarket chains," she said Ivet Tabakovathe owner of the grocery store.

"They attract customers by sharply lowering the prices of certain products that one can easily compare and see the difference. For example, 15 to 20 products and everything else has very high mark-ups," Tabaková stressed.

For many small grocery store owners, the boycott has led to a positive increase in sales as regular customers buy more food in their stores.

"Customers go and buy staples like sugar, flour, yoghurt and oil. And for me, attitude is important; when you have attitude, the customer comes back and finds something else to buy."

The boycott organisers are demanding that supermarkets limit their profit margins on food to less than 30 %, and want parliament to pass a law to regulate prices. They called for a new boycott on 27 February and urged the authorities to act.

The government said it was taking new measures to shorten supply chains and eliminate unfair practices in food sales. Government authorities and regulatory agencies said they had launched price controls.

"We monitor how information is provided to consumers and whether there is any deception. Also the correctness of prices, unrealistic promotions," he said Ignat Asenov, head of the Consumer Protection Commission.

"The information from the inspections will be used to draft a law that will regulate contracts in the supply chain."

Protests and consumer boycotts over rising inflation and high food prices began sweeping the Balkan region in January, starting with Croatia. Similar boycotts took place in Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Greece.

euronews/ gnews.cz - RoZ

ILLUSTRATIVE PHOTO - pixabay