New Nationwide Supermarket Boycott Planned for February 20

Several organizations have called for a nationwide boycott of supermarkets and large food chains on February 20, according to Velizar Enchev, coordinator of the initiative and former Bulgarian ambassador to Croatia. He noted that the Finance Ministry has not disclosed the impact of the previous boycott on February 13 and urged transparency on the matter, CE Report quotes BTA

"Next week, on February 20, we are holding a new boycott, lasting 24 hours. This is in coordination with our Greek counterparts, who will stage a mass boycott on February 19, affecting everything from the electricity grid to retail chains," Enchev stated.

The organizers encourage Bulgarian citizens to shop exclusively at small groceries and purchase goods from Bulgarian producers to support local businesses.

Emil Georgiev, chairman of the Federation of Consumers of Bulgaria, described the previous boycott as successful, saying it heightened consumer discontent. Dimitrina Ruseva from "The System is Killing Us" emphasized the need for consumers' voices to be heard, criticizing the government's lack of action. "Until real change happens, we intend to keep the fire burning," she said.

Maya Manolova highlighted excessive markups on basic food products, calling for legislative regulation. She urged MPs to decide whether they stand with their constituents or with large retail chains.

Maria Filipova, head of the Commission for Consumer Protection, called on retailers and food traders to provide requested pricing data for an ongoing inspection.

Andrey Velchev from the Association for Affordable and Quality Food stated that all stakeholders, including retail chain representatives, were invited to discussions, but none had confirmed participation. He stressed the importance of dialogue to resolve the issue rather than escalating tensions.

The initiative is supported by the United Union of Pensioners, "The System is Killing Us," and the Federation of Consumers of Bulgaria.