Latest figures for consumer price inflation (CPI) in Bulgaria
November 2021 price inflation has topped 7.3% compared to the same period the previous year. These are worrying times for people with fixed income as their weekly food shop would cost significantly more than a year ago. The main driver behind the increase is often quoted as the rising price of petrol and natural gas.
Cheapest supermarket in December
We have compared three popular supermarket chains and Billa came out cheapest in December. Our shopping basket includes 40 everyday items. The total price including VAT in Billa came to 124.70 BGN a whole 7.70 BGN cheaper than the second-placed Kaufland.
The 40 items include a group of essentials such as fruits, vegetables, bread, milk, pasta, and pulses. The second group includes drinks and meat namely; coffee, tea, juice, beer, cooked meats such as salami and ham, raw meats, and fish. Last but not least, the third group includes toiletries and toilet rolls.
Shopping tips
Consumers are forced to make tradeoff decisions and change their shopping habits.
- Firstly, the choice in terms of convenience. The small local store is close, however more expensive compared to the larger supermarket.
- Price promotions act as a magnet to bring more shoppers in. It is key to review the supermarket promotional brochure and make a shopping list in advance.
- Stick to your list and avoid impulse purchases.
- Use your loyalty card for extra savings. Some retailers have their magazines where they publish vouchers for money-off popular branded products.
- Supermarkets’ own products are often cheaper compared to the well-known branded equivalent.
- Larger packs are often cheaper than their smaller equivalent. To avoid waste only buy products with long shelf life, for example, toilet rolls.
- Last but not least, always check the expiry date or the best before date.
