Bulgaria Retail Sales Growth Slows in June

Retail sales in Bulgaria eased by 7.1% year-on-year in June from a 7.9% growth in the previous month. Activity slowed for automotive fuels in specialized stores (3.1% vs. 13.7%) and food, beverages, and tobacco (4.1% vs. 4.7%). Meanwhile, non-food products excluding fuel accelerated to 9.9% from 8.3%, supported by stronger sales in non-specialized stores (10.6% vs. 10.2%), mail-order and internet retail (26.4% vs. 19.1%), and textiles, clothing, and footwear (22.5% vs. 23.0%). However, growth also eased in household appliances, furniture, and other household goods (9.0% vs. 11.2%) and computer and communications equipment (8.0% vs. 4.0%), while pharmaceutical and medical goods, cosmetics, and toiletries returned to growth (1.0% vs. -2.5%). On a monthly basis, retail sales rose 0.5% in June, easing from a revised 0.7% increase in May.

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.