Government starts daily analysis and control of food prices in Bulgaria

Caretaker Prime Minister, Gulub Donev, on February 7, initiated a meeting at the Council of Ministers, where an analysis of the formation of food prices was presented.

The difference between prices from the producer, the trader to the counter is up to 30 percent, said Gulub Donev. A control mechanism will be developed from producers to hypermarkets and small shops. This will be the same practice that has been used to control fuel prices. There has been a gradual decline in inflation.

"The aim is to involve the citizens in the control from producer to counter without violating market rules. We will disclose unfair trade practices and where trade practices are being distorted. We will show the movement of goods through customs, the National Revenue Agency, through the logistics chain to the shops. We will trace not only price formation but also profit formation. We want to ensure that the Bulgarian consumer is aware of price and quality so that we have full comparability between the EU and domestic markets. This monitoring will be daily," the Prime Minister said.

We are ready with legislative proposals to bring food trade into legal norms. Unfair trade practices will also be monitored. We will not interfere in the free market, but we will not allow price increases in the chains, Gulub Donev added.

A permanent website is being considered, where the retail chains will be included, in order to make ethical rules and to have comparability between price and quality.