Bulgaria Retail Sales Growth Hits Six-Month Low

Retail sales in Bulgaria rose 5.6% year-on-year in July 2026, easing from a 7.1% increase in June and marking the slowest growth since January 2026. Activity eased for non-food products excluding fuel (4.1% vs 9.9%), with growth slowing in textiles, clothing, and footwear (14.7% vs 22.5%), mail-order and internet retail (22.5% vs. 26.4%), and computer and communications equipment (1.9% vs 8.0%). Meanwhile, activity accelerated for food, beverages, and tobacco (7.5% vs 4.1%) and automotive fuel in specialized stores (6.6% vs 3.1%). Growth in pharmaceutical and medical goods, cosmetics, and toiletries also edged up (1.5% vs 1.0%), while sales of food, beverages, and tobacco in specialized stores improved (-0.2% vs -1.0%). On a monthly basis, retail sales fell 0.2% in July, reversing a 0.5% increase 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.