At the beginning of May 2026, a Bill for the Amendment and Supplementation of the Competition Protection Act was submitted to the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria.
The new bill aims to protect the weaker participants in the supply chain of agricultural and food products by introducing an economically oriented approach to unfair trading practices. It addresses the structural imbalances between agricultural producers, processors, and large buyers with significant market power, who often impose conditions through complex contractual and financial arrangements.
- Key issues the bill seeks to address
- Hidden price formation – the real value of transactions is often determined through subsequent bonuses, discounts, and fees rather than solely through the invoiced price.
- Transfer of commercial risk – suppliers bear costs and risks that are essentially part of the buyer’s business activity.
- Restricted market access – access to retail networks and promotional activities may be tied to payments without demonstrable economic value.
- Brand dilution – practices such as imposing packaging requirements, repackaging, or replacing products with the buyer’s private label reduce the supplier’s brand identity.
- What the bill proposes
- Transition to an economic approach – shifting from a purely formal assessment to an economically oriented one, addressing not only explicit and visible violations but also practices which, by their economic nature, purpose, or effect, lead to adverse outcomes.
- Greater price transparency – ensuring clearer formation of the final price and limiting retroactive or conditional payments.
- Protection mechanisms for small and medium sized producers – safeguarding them against retaliatory commercial actions such as delisting or deterioration of product placement.
- Why it matters
Законопроектът защитава продоволствената сигурност, конкурентната среда и доходите на българските производители, като същевременно цели да запази справедливи цени и избор за потребителите.