Seven out of 11 basic food products are more expensive in Bulgaria than in Dubai, according to a comparison by chef Silvena Rowe. She used regular prices without promotions from Carrefour in Dubai and Kaufland in Bulgaria, with the values calculated per kilogram, liter or 10 eggs.
The list of products that, according to her, cost less in Dubai includes bread, fresh milk, eggs, lemons, tomatoes, olive oil and yogurt. For the chef, it is the difference in the last product that is the most shocking.
„The biggest shock for me is yogurt. Bulgaria is the homeland of yogurt, and it is more expensive here than in Dubai“, commented Silvena Rowe.
The only exception
Among the positive examples, Rowe highlights Krina rice. According to her, one kilogram of the brand is cheaper than a kilogram of regular rice in Dubai, although the rice is also offered in bulk at lower prices on the local market.
“I will proudly say about the rice. In Dubai, rice is also bought in bulk, at much lower prices, but the quality of Krina is unsurpassed,“ she points out.
The comparison was made using prices from two different sources: the official Carrefour website for Dubai and a partner delivery platform for Kaufland in Bulgaria. This means that the data presents a specific comparison of selected products, and not an official study of average food prices in the two countries.
Sylvena Rowe also draws attention to price controls in the United Arab Emirates. According to her statement, nine categories of basic foods are observed there, including eggs, dairy products, rice, sugar, poultry, bread and oil. She also points out that price increases in these categories require approval from the competent ministry, and a state platform monitors over 8,000 products in 525 stores daily.
The chef links the logistics costs in Dubai to the need for some imports to take bypass routes due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. However, according to her, a number of basic foods remain cheaper there.
As an expert advisor to the Committee on Agriculture, Food and Forestry in the National Assembly, Silvena Rowe insists on more transparency in the formation of final prices.
„How is this possible? Why in our country, where we do not have these additional difficulties, and we are a country that produces food itself, do the prices on the shelves continue to be higher?“, she asks.
The star chef addresses her questions to wholesalers and large retail chains and insists on seeing what the price of the product is at the manufacturer and what the end consumer pays.