Bulgaria

In 2022, Alcoholic drinks in Bulgaria were mainly influenced by a 16.9% inflation rate, the Ukraine war, supply problems, high transport costs and delivery delays. All this led to a considerable rise in unit prices and stock problems among…

Colour cosmetics saw strong double-digit value growth in 2022, with demand recovering following the pandemic. Eye make-up remains an essential part of many women’s beauty routines as they are mindful about the outlining of the eyes and the category…

The supermarkets channel saw continued strong growth in 2022, mainly boosted by the high rate of inflation seen during the year, which impacted prices across most grocery and non-grocery product categories sold via the channel. Consumer demand is…

The consumption of cheese rose marginally in 2023 after two years of decline caused by a shift back towards out-of-home entertaining and travelling in the post-pandemic era. Foodservice sales grew significantly and are exceeding pre-pandemic levels…

In 2023, most baby food subcategories continue to show positive growth, both in retail volume and current value terms. Despite the country’s declining birth rate, there is growing demand for specialised baby food among Bulgarian mothers, with mothers…

Retail volume sales growth for snacks in Bulgaria in 2023 is expected to be down slightly from 2022. The same is true of growth in retail current value sales, though most categories look set to record stronger performances in this regard than in…

With high inflation still driving up production costs and unit prices, ice cream in Bulgaria is set to register faster growth in retail current value sales than retail volume sales in 2023. Demand has remained fairly robust despite falling purchasing…

In 2022, cider/perry in Bulgaria continued its upward trajectory, surpassing 2019 volume sales in the off-trade channel as open-air socialising, concerts, festivals and garden parties resumed post-pandemic. Meanwhile, record high current value sales…

Cigarettes remained the key driver of tobacco sales in Bulgaria during 2022 and this was largely thanks to strong accessibility, the result of relatively low prices across the industry, but especially in cigarettes. Despite the record high inflation…

Skin care continued to record growth in 2022, with products with specific ingredients that target skin problems becoming increasingly popular among Bulgarians. Hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, salicylic acid and caffeine are some of the most…

With the recent spike in inflation caused by the recovery from the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine gradually easing, growth in cat food current value sales in 2023 is projected to be slower than that recorded in 2022. Conversely, the…

The vending channel fully recovered in value terms in 2022 and surpassed pre-pandemic sales levels. The double-digit rate of inflation in 2022 was a significant factor contributing to the channel’s value growth, while volume growth was more moderate.…

The hypermarkets channel achieved the second fastest value growth amongst modern grocery retailers in 2022. The high rate of inflation additionally boosted the value performance of modern grocery retailers, including hypermarkets, during the year.…

The convenience retailers channel saw strong value growth in 2022 amidst rising inflation and increasing prices across most product categories sold. The consumer shift from traditional retailers towards modern grocery retailing continued during the…

In 2022, beer in Bulgaria saw a slight increase in retail volume terms thanks to the preference for lower-alcoholic drinks and awareness of the health benefits of beer. However, although on-trade beer volume sales continued recovering post-pandemic,…

The lifting of all restrictions in Bulgaria during 2022 resulted in Bulgarians spending more time out of their homes, returning to work/school and social activities, which had a positive impact on the performance of fragrances in the country.…

The high rate of inflation helped the direct selling channel to achieve double-digit value growth in 2022 as the prices of most products sold by the market leaders increased within the range of the official inflation rate, which approached lower…

Bulgarians largely prefer multi-purpose surface care, which offer time saving, as well as cost and space-saving. In 2022, mass consumers in Bulgaria had constrained budgets, with approximately 40% of the average consumer's income spent on food and…

Home insecticides achieved stable value growth over the review period in Bulgaria, including in 2022. There is a lasting trend towards urban consumers moving to rural areas, renovating old family houses or buying a new property. There are higher…

Wine in Bulgaria continued to increase in volume terms in 2022, mainly due to on-trade growth. However, wine consumption through consumer foodservice remained below 2019 levels because of inflation and huge price increases. As a result, most local…