Following the lead of Croatia, Greece, Romania, Slovenia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, four organizations in Bulgaria declared January 13th a day for boycotting large retail chains in protest of high prices. While checks by BNR reporters showed fewer shoppers in the stores, the boycott did not achieve its intended success.
Most shoppers who did venture out were elderly, and many items were on special offer. When asked by BNR correspondent Daniela Kostadinova why they did not support the boycott, shoppers offered various explanations. Some cited the long supply chain and the practice of adding markups at each stage as reasons for high prices. Others pointed to low domestic production and increased reliance on imported goods.
One shopper stated, "If something is expensive for me, I boycott it every day." Another expressed a different approach, saying, "I don't boycott because I think the way is different. There are 240 little boys and girls in parliament in Sofia, who need to figure out the price problem."
Despite the lack of widespread participation, the boycott served as a reminder of public discontent with high prices in Bulgaria. It also highlighted the complex factors contributing to the issue and the need for solutions that address both supply chain inefficiencies and domestic production challenges.