Bread is already being sold at about 20 percent more expensive, official statistics show. However, this is only the beginning of a more serious crisis that threatens the stability of production. This was stated by the chairwoman of the National Branch Union of Bakers and Confectioners Mariana Kukusheva, quoted by "Agro.bg". According to her, the combination of rising logistics costs and the planned tax changes in Budget 2026 are putting the industry on the brink.
The main problem for producers at the moment is the daily increase in the price of diesel fuel, which is rising by 5-10 stotinki per day.
"Bread is perhaps the most heavily transported product. Logistics is our biggest expense. While they convince us that everything is calm and stocks are sufficient, we see our costs literally melting away in days", commented Kukusheva.
Currently, manufacturers are trying to compensate for the differences with their own funds, but they warn that the change in the final price is an inevitable step to preserve the business.
The changes planned in the state budget for 2026 are also causing serious concern in the sector. The planned increase in the minimum wage and the increase in social security contributions by a total of 4 percent (2 percent for the employer and 2 percent for the employee) create a risk of mass decapitalization.
"In reality, the employer bears all four percent. In our sector, labor forms between 45 and 50 percent of the cost of the product. There is no way that workers can bear this burden – "there are no people, there is no one to work", Kukusheva is categorical.
The industry organization is alarming about the lack of real control over the gray sector. There are enterprises with huge production volumes that, according to documents, work with minimal staff, which creates unfair competition.
At the same time, honest producers are under pressure from retail chains. According to Kukusheva, it is not the bakers, but the traders who determine the final price for the consumer.
"The final prices are dictated by the retail chains. They determine their mark-up weekly and often – completely freely", she explained.
The industry is demanding urgent measures to regulate the market and increased control in order to guarantee the quality of Bulgarian bread and the preservation of jobs.