The Consumer Protection Commission will investigate reports of high prices for school trips, medicines and various services. The chairwoman of the Consumer Protection Commission Maya Manolova received the complaints after appearing on television.
Among the main reports are those from parents about the price of school trips. According to them, day trips to nearby destinations reach 90 leva, or about 45 euros. Parents also raise questions about the way in which the funds are collected, the lack of receipts and the choice of the same destinations by different schools.
Manolova said that the Consumer Protection Commission can compare current prices with those from previous periods and check whether there is an unjustified increase.
The signals about possible connections between the companies that organize the school trips will be sent to the Commission for the Protection of Competition. Thus, the inspection can cover not only the prices, but also the way in which the trips are distributed between the schools.
Inspections of pharmacies and suppliers
Another of the signals received is about the increase in the price of medicines within a short period. Manolova announced that the pharmacies and the entire supply chain will be inspected to determine whether there is an unjustified increase in prices.
The Commission will also inspect the prices of services. A hairdressing salon in Varna was cited as an example, where the price of a service changed from 9 leva to 7 euros. The scope of the upcoming inspections may also include car service stations, car washes, dry cleaners and restaurants.
Inspections in the chains and collection of fines
Inspections have begun in the warehouses of large retail chains. Manolova said that she expects that within the next two months there will be an opportunity to reduce the prices of basic food products. She called for markups to be limited to levels comparable to those in other European countries, indicating a guideline of up to 30 percent.
The Chairman of the CPC also commented on the collection of fines imposed. According to her, some of the payments currently received are for sanctions from a previous period, while other penal decrees are being appealed in court. She stated that the commission will pay special attention to the lawsuits so that significant legal costs are not transferred to the institution.
Manolova denied that she intends to run for mayor of Sofia. She indicated that among her main priorities as chairwoman of the CPC are food and drug prices, bank fees, mobile services and consumer protection from unfair practices. Citizens who send signals via Viber are urged to provide their full names and a contact phone number so that checks can be carried out.