Retail Chain Warehouses Under Scrutiny – What the Joint Inspections by the Commission for Consumer Protection, the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency and the National Revenue Agency Revealed

The Commission for Consumer Protection, the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency and the National Revenue Agency are launching joint inspections at the warehouses of major retail chains. The move follows new data revealing strikingly high mark-ups on dairy products.

The aim of the inspections is to improve transparency throughout the supply chain, starting specifically with logistics centres, as these serve as central hubs for suppliers and manufacturers. The Food Safety Agency, the National Revenue Agency and, accordingly, the Commission for Consumer Protection will begin conducting inspections at the warehouses immediately.

All violations identified will be subject to sanctions, while any other infringements falling outside the remit of these institutions will be referred to the relevant state authorities.

The retail chain currently undergoing inspection stated that it is inspected more than 100 times every month and therefore has no concerns about inspections. It denies applying the mark-ups alleged in the public domain, pointing out that its publicly available reports show whether it applies any mark-ups and, if so, what those mark-ups are.

Finally, the retail chain stated that it contributes to the country's food security and expects to meet with the Prime Minister to discuss the problems facing the sector.

“What we will be inspecting is the entire supply chain: supplier, intermediary, packager, followed by delivery, retail chain and prices. Once we have a complete picture, starting next week, based on the information collected from all the central warehouses of the retail chains across the country, the Food Safety Agency, together with the National Revenue Agency, will work their way down the supply chain. We will approach suppliers and manufacturers,” said Agriculture Minister Plamen Abrovski.

“High prices are a concern for all Bulgarian citizens. Bulgarian citizens have the right to know why prices in Bulgaria are so high, and the state authorities are committed to ensuring fairness in price-setting,” stated Maya Manolova.

The government has also threatened to extend inspections to small neighbourhood shops to check for mark-ups, as well as to wholesale markets and trading centres.