'For God's sake, don't buy': There's a 100% mark-up on dairy products

A nationwide boycott of supermarkets will take place today, February 13. The discontent is provoked by the high prices of essential goods. How do prices change from the producer to the final consumer?

• Is there a boycott of supermarkets by consumers?

I'll start with a slogan that became popular in the 1990s, "For God's sake, brothers, don't buy," Vladislav Mikhailov, chairman of the National Association of Dairy Processors, told BNT on February 13.

"There is a problem. This problem has been present for at least 4 or 5 years, during which a very clear and unjust redistribution of financial results has been observed throughout the food production and sales chain, specifically in the final stage of food sales in Bulgaria."

"If we, Bulgarians, are truly a civil society, if we have some sense of civic responsibility and are really capable of making a fair choice for ourselves, I personally will not go to any chain to buy anything today."

"Over 50% of the total revenue from the sale of dairy products, and most food products, remains with the retailer. Bulgarian cheese, produced in Bulgaria, is invoiced to large traders at 16 BGN including VAT, while the final price is 32-34 BGN. We observe a 100% markup, and sometimes even more. On average, for dairy products, the markups at the final stage of retail sales are between 80%-100%, in some cases exceeding 100%."

The principles of free trade are not functioning, the Chairman of the National Association of Dairy Processors was adamant.