More than 500 inspections were conducted nationwide in various establishments between 29 May and 1 June 2025
The Consumer Protection Act includes specific requirements regarding the display of prices for goods and services, stipulating that prices must be indicated in Bulgarian lev. However, the legal framework does not explicitly exclude the possibility of additionally displaying prices in another currency – such as the euro – for reference or guidance. This was stated by Minister of Economy and Industry, Peter Dilov, during a parliamentary session, in response to a question concerning the practice of large retail chains and mobile operators displaying prices in both lev and euro.
Minister Dilov emphasized that under the current legislation, traders are obliged to always indicate the primary price in Bulgarian lev, as it is the country’s official currency. According to him, the law clearly requires that both the selling price and the unit price of goods and services be displayed in advance, in a visible location near the goods, in a manner that is unambiguous, easily understood, clearly written, and not misleading to consumers.
“Dual price display is not considered speculative,” the Minister stated. “The main requirement in such cases is to ensure clarity and transparency, while consumers must still be able to make payments only in lev,” he added.
Minister Dilov reported that, between 29 May and 1 June 2025, the Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) carried out preventive inspections at commercial sites across the country to monitor price display practices, including whether prices were shown in currencies other than the lev – such as the euro or other EU Member State legal tender. “More than 500 inspections were conducted at various locations across the country. The inspections found that all consumer goods offered for sale were labeled with final selling prices in Bulgarian lev, in accordance with applicable legislation,” he stressed.
According to the Minister, some retail chains have begun to display prices in both lev and euro, while all payments at checkout continue to be processed in lev, as per the announced price. He was clear that, in these cases, when calculating the euro price based on the lev amount, the official fixed exchange rate of 1.95583 BGN per euro was used.
The Minister of Economy and Industry reassured that the CPC has taken all necessary measures to protect consumers and prevent any violations of the law.
He further noted that the government and regulatory authorities are already working in parallel across multiple areas. “At this stage, we have very good coordination between the control mechanisms of the National Revenue Agency (NRA), the Consumer Protection Commission (CPC), and the Commission on Protection of Competition (CPC). One of the key priorities is the memorandum between the state and the business sector, which will include training and raising awareness among employees in retail outlets,” the Minister concluded.