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The retail chains have emptied our pockets.

The markups on various basic foods reach 55 percent, which is one of the reasons for high inflation, a check based on data on wholesale prices of the State Commission for Commodity Exchanges and Markets (DKSBT) and prices in stores showed, reports " Labor".

One of the biggest markups is for cheese.

The wholesale price of cheese is BGN 18 per kg, according to DKSBT data.

Cheese retail prices range from about BGN 15 to BGN 35 per kilogram, but are most often around BGN 26.

This makes it a 45 percent markup if one buys cheese that is not on sale.

The question of what is the difference between cheese that costs BGN 15 and that of BGN 35 is also very curious. Basically, one kilogram of cheese is made from 10 liters of milk.

At BGN 1 purchase price of milk, the cost price of cheese is BGN 10 without VAT.

If we add the costs of electricity, transport, wages and VAT, a 15 BGN profit means that the manufacturer and the traders have not made any profit for themselves.

Therefore, it can be assumed that other raw materials were used in the BGN 15 cheese, not just fresh milk, or that it was not matured enough.

But from the labels, it is difficult for consumers to find out why the BGN 35 cheese is better than the BGN 15 cheese, because in Bulgaria the ripening period is not indicated on the label at all, it just says "cheese".

The situation is similar with cheese, where the prices are also within very wide limits without consumers being able to understand the water content, dry milk content, as well as how many days the cheese has matured.

A drastic increase in the price of fresh milk in our country

In the case of eggs, the markups of commercial chains reach 55 percent, an inspection showed.

Wholesale egg prices are on average 38 cents per piece, according to data from the State Commission on Commodity Exchanges and Markets.

As in the last week, wholesale egg prices have not changed.

At retail, the prices of eggs are very wide, for example, there are organic eggs for 63 cents per piece.

Some small shops have eggs for 50 cents per piece, which means a markup of more than 30 per cent.

But in one of the large retail chains, the average price of eggs is 59 cents per piece.

That makes a markup of 55%.

The large retail chain hardly buys the eggs in bulk at prices above the market average.

Big chains can negotiate better wholesale prices than small stores.

Fresh milk wholesale prices are on average BGN 2.38 per liter, and just like eggs, they have not changed in the last week, data from DKSBT show.

Fresh milk is sold at retail at different prices, but the lowest price available in one of the retail chains is BGN 3.19. This represents a markup of 34 percent between the wholesaler and the retail store alone.

BGN 4 for a kilo of bananas at Christmas

The purchase price of milk in Bulgaria is 51.32 euros per 100 kg, according to official data of the European Commission, which monitors the prices of basic foods in all EU countries.

This makes an average purchase price of 93 cents per liter.

And the wholesale price of fresh milk is BGN 2.38 per liter, or significantly more than twice as high.

Adding in the retailer's markup, it turns out that the price of milk between the raw milk producer and the final price on the store shelf more than triples.

The purchase price of milk in Bulgaria is significantly lower than the average for EU member states.

However, there are also countries where the purchase price of milk is lower than in our country.

These are France (49.86 euros per 100 kg), Latvia (45.80 euros), Lithuania (45.96 euros), Slovakia (46.15 euros).

At the same time, the final prices of milk in stores in Bulgaria are among the highest in the EU.

Sausages in our country are more expensive, of lower quality and mostly made from imported meat

In the shops they are from BGN 2.50 to BGN 6 per kg

Greenhouse tomatoes rose in price by 4.7 percent

Cucumbers grew by 5.7%

Greenhouse tomatoes and cucumbers continue to increase in price.

Last week alone, the prices of greenhouse tomatoes rose by 4.7% to BGN 3.35 per kg wholesale, according to data from the State Commission on Commodity Exchanges and Markets.

At the same time, prices for imported tomatoes fell by 5.5% to 3.27 per kg.

Wholesale.

In retail stores, the prices of tomatoes are very wide - they start from BGN 2.50 and reach BGN 6 per kg.

Greenhouse cucumbers rose in price last week by 5.7% to BGN 4.48 per kg.

Wholesale.

In the case of imported cucumbers, the price increase was 4.4% for the week to BGN 3.77 per kg.

Wholesale.

It is curious that for tomatoes there is no significant difference between the prices of those from greenhouses and those from imports.

While in the case of cucumbers, the imported prices are over 70 cents per kg.

cheaper.

Last week, red peppers rose in price by 2.7% to BGN 3.84 per kg wholesale.

Traders are obliged to offer alternative options

The stores lied about the plastic boxes

Even if they put the olives in a bag, they mark an extra 20 cents on the receipt

Some use biodegradable cups

Retail chains lied about plastic food boxes, which some shops already charge 20p. The problem came to light after many people complained that when buying food from the chain's warm windows, the receipt showed they were paying 20p .extra for the box.

Retailers have tried to explain that this is an EU requirement for single-use plastic cans and people just have to pay an extra 20 cents each. However, this is not the case at all.

Indeed, an Ordinance was adopted to reduce the impact of certain plastic products on the environment.

But the purpose of this regulation is not to make people pay extra, but to limit the use of single-use plastic products.

The regulation clearly spells out the responsibilities of traders who use single-use plastic products such as take-out boxes or drink cups.

These traders must display in a prominent place an information sign intended for the end user containing information on: the unit price of the plastic box or cup, the harmful impact of single-use plastic products on the environment due to disposal in unauthorized places, the need to permanent reduction in the use of plastic boxes and cups, as well as possible alternatives.

It became clear what led to the record price increase of eggs

The regulation specifically states that traders must provide alternatives to single-use plastic products.

And the retail chains do not offer such an alternative, which renders the entire ordinance meaningless.

Representatives of the retail chains explained that people cannot bring their own dishes in which to put the food, because this violates the rules of hygiene.

It is not permissible for dishes that are not guaranteed to be clean to be in contact with the display in the store network, because there is a risk of contaminating the entire product and, of course, health consequences for customers and employees - that is, it is not prohibited, but it is not regulated by law, the retail chains explained.

But they may offer other alternatives.

For example, many coffee shops no longer use plastic cups and instead give biodegradable cups to customers who want to drink their coffee while walking.

This could also be done by retail chains that think about their customers and the environment.

The other possible alternative is to put the olives or meatballs in a plastic bag or in a biodegradable bag, similar to the ones they put in the baked bread rolls.

Retail chains, however, do not offer such an alternative.

A customer of one of the retail chains complained that he had insisted that the olives be placed in a plastic bag.

However, at the checkout, it turned out that he had to pay 20 cents for a box again.

Apparently, in the very barcode of the food from the warm display case, it is stated that when marking them, they add 20 cents per box.

Representatives of retail chains explained that in these cases, if the store manager is called, the money will be returned to the customer.

The question is why, every time when shopping for olives, the customer has to call the manager, and given that the aim of the regulation is to reduce the use of plastic packaging, why do the retail chains not offer an alternative.

Mandatory packaging of 20 units for purchases from the warm window is incorrect practice

The goal is to limit the use of disposable packaging

Every year the price will increase

Merchants who sell food and drinks in single-use plastic boxes and cups must give them away for a fee, says the Ordinance on Reducing the Impact of Certain Plastic Products on the Environment.

The price of the plastic box or cup must be recorded on a separate line in the receipt.

The regulation also includes minimum prices for plastic cups and boxes.

For 2023, the minimum price for cups is 5 cents, and for boxes is 20 cents. The regulation specifically states that in each of the next few years, the minimum prices for plastic cups and cans will be increased by 5 cents. Thus, from On January 1, 2027, the minimum price for a cup will be 25 cents, and for a box - 40 cents.

The goal of all this is to get even people who like using plastic boxes to give them up over time.

But for this, marketers need to offer alternative options.

If an alternative is not proposed, the entire ordinance loses its meaning.

The caps must remain on the bottle

Plastic soft drink bottles should have new caps.

This is one of the requirements of the Ordinance to reduce the impact of certain plastic products on the environment.

Plastic beverage containers with a capacity of up to three liters that have plastic caps can only be placed on the market if the caps remain attached to the containers during use of the product, the regulation says.

This requirement does not apply to glass or metal beverage containers that have plastic lids.

The requirement that the cap remain attached to plastic bottles will take effect on July 3, 2024, the regulation said.

Can we take a box to the store?

But some manufacturers are already complying with the new requirement and there are now mineral water bottles on the market, the caps of which remain attached to the bottle even after it has been opened.

There are other requirements for non-alcoholic bottles in the regulation.

From 2025, plastic drinks bottles with a capacity of up to 3 liters must contain at least 25 percent recycled plastic, calculated as an average of all plastic bottles placed on the market.

From 2030, bottles must contain at least 30 percent recycled plastic.

Manufacturers of single-use plastic bottles must create systems for the separate collection of waste from these products, the regulation says.

These systems must include at least specialized receptacles for separate collection located in squares, alleys, parks and other areas of settlements intended for public use.