Bulgaria Retail Sales Growth Hits Near 5-Year High

Retail sales in Bulgaria surged 12.4% year-on-year in March 2026, the strongest growth since July 2021, accelerating from a 7.3% increase in the previous month. The rise was driven mainly by robust gains in automotive fuel in specialised stores (18.6% vs 0.4% in February) and stronger growth in non-food products excluding fuel (16.4% vs 10.5%), particularly textiles, clothing and footwear (22.4% vs 17.1%), computers, peripheral units and software (24.4% vs 16.9%), audio and video equipment (17.1% vs 13.8%), and mail order and online sales (24.1% vs 23.7%). Sales of medical and orthopaedic goods, cosmetic and toilet articles also rebounded (9.1% vs -3.2%), while growth slowed in food, beverages and tobacco (3.6% vs 5.3%). On a monthly basis, retail sales grew 2.1% in March, following an upwardly revised 2.2% increase in February.

Retail sales in Bulgaria climbed 7.3% year-on-year in February 2026, following an upwardly revised 4.2% rise in the previous month. Sales accelerated sharply in food, beverages, and tobacco (5.3% vs 0.1% in January) and in non-food products excluding fuel (10.5% vs 8.3%), particularly in computers, peripheral units and software, and telecommunications equipment (16.9% vs 10.5%), in non-specialized stores (4.7% vs 1.8%), and via mail order houses and the internet (23.7% vs 13.1%). At the same time, sales in automotive fuel and lubricants rebounded (0.4% vs -1.5%). Meanwhile, retail activity rose at a softer pace in textiles, clothing, footwear, and leather (17.1% vs 19.8%) and in audio and video equipment (13.8% vs 15.2%), and sales of pharmaceutical and orthopedic goods continued to decline (-3.2% vs -2.7%). On a monthly basis, retail sales grew by 1% in February, reversing a downwardly revised 0.4% fall in the preceding period.

Retail sales in Bulgaria rose 3.9% year-on-year in January 2026, easing from a revised 8.2% jump in the previous month. The slowdown was largely attributed to softer growth in sales of non-food products excluding fuel (8.3% vs 16.6% in December), driven by smaller increases in audio and video equipment (15.3% vs 29.4%), computers, peripheral units and software (10.5% vs 16.5%), and information and communication equipment (12.7% vs 22.7%). Meanwhile, sales of pharmaceutical and orthopedic goods declined (-2.7% vs -10.4%). Sales of automotive fuel also fell (-1.5% vs 15.4%), while growth moderated for sales via mail-order houses and the internet (13% vs 14.7%). At the same time, sales of food, beverages, and tobacco were flat, following a 4.6% decline in December. On a monthly basis, retail sales dropped 0.5%, after a 1.6% increase in the previous period.