The notebook with customers who shop on Veresia to survive has long since been written out

Annual inflation in our country has been in single digits for the tenth month and continues to decrease. This is what the NSI data show. However, inflation continues to be seen as a “stumbling block” on our path to the euro, and only after the convergence report in the summer will we know whether there will be another postponement of our joining date. But how did the last three countries that adopted the euro perform?

In our country – months before the expected accession – the monthly inflation is 0.2%, and the annual – 3%. And the data shows that it continues to decline. However, do consumers feel in their pockets that inflation is decreasing?

“Oooh, no, I don’t see a drop in inflation, because every time I go into the store, the prices keep going up,” pensioner Yanka Trifonova categorically told BNT.

The pension of Yanka Trifonova from Ruse is only enough for the bare necessities.

“I cook beans, I don’t bother to buy meat. Thank God that the bread stays at the same price now and that the children are alive and well, that they help and buy in bulk so that it can end up being cheaper.”

Galya Georgieva also buys wholesale to stock her grocery store in Marten. Every day the goods are at a different price.

“Today, if I get a waffle for BGN 0.20, the next day it is BGN 0.24, the next day for BGN 0.27. Not only the waffle, every product – meat, alcohol and cigarettes,” said Galya Georgieva, owner of a grocery store.

“There is an increase in the price of sausages and ice creams. A decrease is observed in vegetables when they are in season,” said Georgi Minchev – owner of a grocery store.

“It’s starting to get more and more difficult to work. It’s scary,” said Galya Georgieva.

In Georgi Minchev’s store, the notebook with customers who shop on a whim in order to survive has long since been written out.

“Yes, they are paid, but there are cases in which they cannot get there,” commented Georgi Minchev – owner of a grocery store.

According to economists, a drop in inflation does not mean a drop in the general price level.

“It’s just that prices, instead of growing by 17%, as it was at the end of 2022, are growing by 3%, which is above the EU average, which is 2.4% there. It is important not only how prices change, but nominal wages . The gross salary in Bulgaria is growing faster than inflation. I can’t say that we feel rich, just against the background of what was 2 years ago, we shouldn’t feel a deterioration,” explained Assoc. , head of the Department of “Economics and International Relations” at RU.

Salaries in the private sector in 2023 have increased by 16%, and in the public sector by 27%.