The Bulgarian parliament approved the establishment of a state-owned chain of shops aimed at providing affordable food products in the country’s most impoverished regions.
The initiative, proposed by the parliamentary group DPS-New Beginning, seeks to sell groceries with a limited markup, ensuring access to essential goods for vulnerable populations.
The creation of a state chain of grocery stores with controlled origin and prices is the most important step that must be taken by the state to curb the speculation of resellers, chains and cartels, support people’s purchasing power and access to quality and affordable food products, even in the smallest settlements.
The government will set up the state trading company with an initial capital of €5 million, which will be overseen by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. The shops will operate within the premises of state post offices in small settlements, where many elderly residents collect their pensions.
However, the initiative sparked controversy. The leader of DPS-New Beginning, Delyan Peevski, is under sanctions by the United States and the United Kingdom for corruption. Political opponents in Bulgaria have also accused him of election fraud, raising questions about the motives behind the proposal.
The move comes amid growing public discontent over rising living costs. Over the past two months, Bulgarian consumer organisations have organised several protests, including shopping boycotts, which have gained traction across Eastern Europe. The first protest alone reportedly led to a 20% drop in store turnover.
Despite these challenges, Bulgaria’s annual inflation rate remains relatively low at 2.6%. The new state-owned retail chain is seen as an attempt to address economic disparities and improve access to affordable goods in underserved areas.
