Bulgaria

Tobacco in Bulgaria witnessed robust growth in 2023, with retail volume growth driven largely by the growing appeal of alternative products in the form of e-vapour products and heated tobacco. Cigarette smoking remains very popular due to its low…

Smokeless tobacco, heated tobacco and e-vapour products in Bulgaria posted dynamic growth despite rising unit prices across all categories. The growing popularity of such products has led to higher excise duty on e-liquids and nicotine free liquids,…

The economy segment of cigars and cigarillos in Bulgaria has been most heavily impacted by the rising cost of living and high rate of inflation in 2023. The large consumer base of cigar and cigarillo smokers are switching to cheaper alternatives,…

Cigarette consumption in Bulgaria recorded a marginal decline in 2023. The switch to alternative products among younger adults, such as heated tobacco products and single use cigarettes, has become very popular over the last year. Millennials and Gen…

The report examines the economic landscape of Bulgaria and provides information on major monetary indicators, foreign trade, investments, and government finance. The economy in Bulgaria expanded in real terms in 2022, driven by private consumption…

The Bulgarian pet products category is expected to grow in 2024 in value terms. Growth will mainly be based on the growing interest and knowledge in caring about pet health, hygiene, wellness and entertainment. Pet humanisation is also ongoing while…

Sales of pet care in Bulgaria continued to grow based on the potential of prepared food due to its current low share. Dog and cat food remained the main growth driver of the pet care market as dogs and cats continued to be the main pet population in…

The majority of categories in other pet food are set to develop positively in 2024, especially in value as opposed to volume terms due to their price retention at a relatively high level. Category growth will be based mainly on increasing knowledge…

Value sales of dog food in Bulgaria are set to experience moderate growth in 2024. Much of this growth will be based on the further penetration of prepared food due to pet owners' higher awareness of the health and nutritional benefits of industrial…

Cat food in Bulgaria is expected to continue increasing in both volume and value sales in 2024. This is partly due to growth in Bulgaria’s pet cat population, though the primary drivers of volume sales remain pet humanisation, rising awareness of the…

Sun care in Bulgaria was hard hit during the pandemic when travel all but stopped in the country. Bulgarian consumers do not use sun protection all year round, with usage mainly concentrated during the summer season when citizens take holidays and…

In 2023, skin care in Bulgaria witnessed robust double-digit growth in current value terms, mainly driven by unit price increase. However, volume sales also made steady gains thanks to the growing popularity of products targeting specific skin…

Premium beauty and personal care recorded a strong performance in 2023, despite the high inflation and economic instability in the country. Bulgarian consumers showed an increased interest in premium products, with strong double-digit value growth in…

Due to the influence of social media, the popularity of teeth whitening at home is gathering pace in Bulgaria and this is contributing to the positive development of oral care in Bulgaria. The desire for a youthful, confident smile fuelled the demand…

Men’s grooming in Bulgaria is evolving due to changing attitudes towards self-care with men investing in their personal appearance. In 2023, men’s grooming witnessed robust growth in current value terms driven mainly by unit price increases, while…

Mass beauty and personal care in Bulgaria registered a positive performance in 2023. Whilst price increases fuelled some of this growth, the increased demand for more affordable products was also a factor as inflation remained stubbornly high. This…

In 2023, styling agents, conditioners and hair loss treatments recorded the strongest current value growth rates in Bulgaria’s hair care category, followed closely by standard shampoos. The emerging trend of ‘in-depth hair care’, along with so-called…

Fragrances in Bulgaria was hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and whilst sales have begun to bounce back, overall volume and value sales have yet to be restored to 2019 levels. The lifting of all pandemic restrictions during 2022 resulted in…

In 2023, depilatories in Bulgaria witnessed steady growth in current value terms, driven mainly by unit price growth. Retail volume growth also remained steady even though some consumers made cutbacks to expenditure. An increasing number of girls are…

The slowdown in production of aluminium across Europe, due to higher energy prices caused by the war in Ukraine, has led to a shortage of aluminium for producing deodorant cans and antiperspirants. As a result, some deodorant manufacturers increased…

Due to the relatively high inflation in Bulgaria, mass colour cosmetics continued to grow at a faster pace than premium colour cosmetics in 2023. As the cost of living in Bulgaria remained quite high, people preferred to shop for more affordable…

In 2023, beauty and personal care in Bulgaria performed noticeably better than in 2022. The relatively high inflation, especially in the first half of the year, led to significant growth in current value terms, with double-digit increases across most…

As inflation remained relatively high in 2023, many consumers turned towards private label for their bath and shower needs. Brands like Balea from dm and Cien by Lidl captured the interest of price-conscious consumers most affected by the…

Rising consumer awareness of the importance of proper skin care for babies and children, especially in rural areas, has led to an increase in demand for baby and child-specific skin care products in Bulgaria. Overall, this was the best performing…

Wipes in Bulgaria increased in retail volume and current value terms in 2023, as the category is still relatively new and has strong growth potential. A stronger emphasis on hygiene has occurred since the COVID-19 pandemic, with categories like wet…

Tissue and hygiene in Bulgaria witnessed positive development in 2023, with high inflation bolstering sales especially in the second half of the year. Retail prices remained elevated and even saw some slight increases, as most producers grappled with…

Volume sales of retail tissue in Bulgaria declined in 2023 due to weaker demand for napkins, boxed facial tissues and toilet paper, although for differing reasons. Napkins are not only considered less essential, but consumers were put off by price…

Retail adult incontinence in Bulgaria continued to witness robust growth in 2023, both in retail volume and current value terms, supported by the ageing population and growing urological problems. Rising demand was due mainly to an expansion of the…

Retail volume sales of nappies/diapers/paints in Bulgaria continued to fall in 2023, in line with the ongoing decline in the country’s birth rate which is reducing the overall consumer base. Indeed, the very low numbers of babies being born Bulgaria…

In 2023, menstrual care in Bulgaria witnessed steady retail volume growth despite the continued unit price increases in the category. Price inflation was most notable at the beginning of the year when inflation was still at its peak from 2022.…

AFH tissue and hygiene in Bulgaria continued to steadily recover from the harsh impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Restrictions in hotels and restaurants, which is the biggest AFH channel, hindered sales in 2020 as many establishments were…

Vending in Bulgaria performed strongly in 2023, registering double-digit value growth, as well an increase in constant value sales, despite continuing high inflation. Convenience and on-the-go consumption drove consumer demand. While hot and soft…

Supermarkets in Bulgaria registered current value growth, though constant value sales fell. Inflation was still an issue and impacted profitability. That being said, supermarkets are the largest modern grocery retailer in terms of value sales, with…

Inflation was still an issue in 2023 for small local grocers in Bulgaria, though growth eased. As such, though current value sales rose, constant value sales fell, as continuing rising costs cut profit margins. There was also minimal openings of new…

High inflation continued to impact retail in Bulgaria in 2023, though growth in retail prices did ease. As such, though current value sales increased, there was a fall in constant value sales, as continuing rising costs hit profit margins, and also…

High inflation impacted retail e-commerce in Bulgaria in 2023. As such, though retail e-commerce registered high current value growth, constant value sales fell. Consumers cut back on spending on less essential items and this impacted e-commerce.…

After discounters, hypermarkets were the best performing grocery channel in Bulgaria in 2023 in terms of value growth. With inflation still high, hypermarkets registered a small increase in constant value sales. Recent opening of new outlets also…

Home products specialists in Bulgaria registered current value growth in 2023, though constant value sales fell. Inflation was still an issue and impacted profitability. That being said, it was homewares and home furnishing stores that dragged down…

Despite continuing high inflation, performance for health and beauty specialists in Bulgaria was stable, with constant value sales rising slightly. There was also further opening of outlets. Value sales through pharmacies continued to account for…

Muted performance for general merchandise in 2023

Discounters in Bulgaria were the best performing grocery retailers in 2023. With inflation still being high, consumers were price sensitive and prioritised value for money. As such, discounters registered a moderate increase in constant value sales.…

Direct selling registered a fall in current value sales in Bulgaria in 2023. Both high inflation and a shift away from direct selling to e-commerce led to a drop in sales, as e-commerce also provides the convenience of direct delivery. In fact,…

2023 was not a good year for convenience retailers in Bulgaria. With inflation still being high, consumers cut back on spending in convenience retailers, as prices tend to be higher than in other grocery retailers. In addition, there is a degree of…

Performance was muted in 2023 for appliances and electronic specialists in Bulgaria, with minimal current value growth, and constant value sales falling. Continuing rising prices cut into profit margins and reduced consumers’ purchasing power. As…

With inflation still being an issue, though apparel and footwear specialists in Bulgaria registered an increase in current value sales, constant value sales fell, as continuing rising costs cut into profit margins. There was also a slight decline in…

Toilet care in Bulgaria saw positive development in 2023, with double-digit retail value growth and a retail volume rise in areas such as rim block and toilet liquids/foams. In addition, all product areas recorded positive retail value growth, driven…

Surface care in Bulgaria continued to decline in retail volume in 2023, much of which is the consequence of the category's unusual growth during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, sales are declining in comparison as usage returns to pre-pandemic…

Polishes in Bulgaria continued to lose retail volume sales in 2023. As rising prices impacted consumers' budgets, many adjusted their spending, focusing on essentials. Many consumers do not consider polishes essential, with consumers removing the…

While retail value sales were positive in 2023, these results were heavily driven by increased unit prices. As such, retail volume sales struggled, negatively impacted by rising inflation and reduced consumer spending power. This led to a retail…

Home insecticides in Bulgaria declined in retail volume sales in 2023, impacted by the fall in the property market. Moreover, people in the cities increasingly use the services of insect control companies, which provide an easy, quick, effective and…