Cost of Basic Food Basket Rises by One Lev in a Week, Watchdog Says

The cost of a consumer basket of 27 essential food items has risen by one lev this week compared with last week, according to the State Commission on Commodity Exchanges and Wholesale Markets.

The basket now stands at 101 leva, with the main reason for the increase being higher prices for seasonal fruit and vegetables.

Prices have gone up for tomatoes, cucumbers, red and green peppers, as well as courgettes and apples. The sharpest rise has been recorded in cucumbers, as supply is lower this season.

The Commission on Commodity Exchanges and Wholesale Markets has carried out a joint analysis with the Consumer Protection Commission covering the past three months for basic food products. The analysis shows that price deviations are the same at both wholesale and retail levels.

According to the Commission’s chair, Vladimir Ivanov, the market is currently operating in a normal competitive environment.