Bulgaria Retail Sales Growth Eases in April

Retail sales in Bulgaria rose by 7.9% year-on-year in May from a 7.4% growth in the previous month. Activity increased across most major sectors, including food, beverages, and tobacco (4.7% vs 2.7% in April) and automotive fuels in specialized stores (13.7% vs 8.6%). In contrast, sales growth moderated in non-food products excluding fuel (8.3% vs 10.1%), weighed down by decreases in household appliances, furniture, and other household goods (11.2% vs 14.4%), computer and communications equipment and other consumer goods (4.0% vs 8.9%), mail-order, telephone, and internet sales (19.1% vs 21.0%), while trade declined at a faster pace in pharmaceutical and medical goods, cosmetics, and toiletries (-2.5% vs -0.2%). On a monthly basis, retail activity grew by 0.8% in May, rebounding from a downwardly revised 1.0% drop in the preceding period.

Retail sales in Bulgaria rose by 7.4% year-on-year in April 2026, easing from a 12.4% jump in the previous month. Growth slowed across all major sectors, including sales in food, beverages, and tobacco (2.7% vs 3.6% in March), automotive fuels in specialized stores (8.6% vs 18.6%), and non-food products excluding fuel (10.1% vs 16.4%). Within the latter category, slower growth was recorded in sales of textiles, clothing, footwear, and leather goods (20.3% vs 22.4%), household appliances, furniture, and other household goods (14.4% vs 17.1%), computer and communications equipment and other consumer goods (8.9% vs 24.4%), as well as mail-order, telephone, and internet sales (21.0% vs 24.1%). On a monthly basis, retail activity dropped by 0.9% in April, following a downwardly revised 1.3% increase in the preceding period.

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.