site.btaBread Prices in Bulgaria's Neighbouring Countries

As of January 1, 2025, Bulgaria's value added tax (VAT) rate on bread is 20% again, after being 0% for certain types of bread as a measure that was introduced in 2022 due to the COVID pandemic.

Here's how much bread costs in Bulgaria's neighbouring countries and what VAT is charged.

Greece

Bread in Greece is also part of the so-called Household Basket, which is a list of product categories drawn up by the Greek Ministry of Development. Large supermarkets are obliged to choose one specific product from each category and offer it for a certain period at the lowest price without changing it. This is part of the measures taken by the Greek Government to combat price spikes.

The Ministry's website shows that white bread can be found in the Household Basket at EUR 1.19 (BGN 2.33) per kg as of January 10, 2025, although in most chains the cheapest offers range between EUR 1.90 and EUR 2, equivalent to BGN 3.72 and 3.91.

The price of bread in Greece is the fifth lowest in the European Union (behind Bulgaria, Romania, Estonia and Poland) and the second lowest in the euro area (behind Estonia), according to a survey published in Economikos Tahidromos in October 2024.

The price of bread in Greece has risen by 39% since 2020 due to the higher prices of wheat and flour, as well as the prices of labour, electricity and natural gas having gone up. Flour in Greece rose from EUR 230 per tonne in August 2021 to EUR 400 per tonne in June 2022, after which prices started to fall.

Romania

Bread and pastry products in Romania are subject to a reduced VAT rate of 9% compared to the standard rate of 19%. The measure entered into force on September 1, 2013.

The most common white bread on the Romanian market is available in shops at prices ranging from 9.85 to 14 lei (RON) per kg, or BGN 3.80 to BGN 5.40. In most cases, it is sold in packs of 700 and 400 g, which cost RON 8.65 (BGN 3.37) and RON 4.39 (BGN 1.71) respectively.

Unpackaged bread can be bought from RON 8.97 per kilo (BGN 3.40) to nearly RON 30 per kg (around BGN 12) depending on the ingredients.

The price of brown bread varies between RON 10.50 (BGN 4) and RON 15 (BGN 5.85) per kg. Rye bread costs around RON 11 per kg, while the price of wholemeal bread goes from RON 15 (BGN 5.85) to RON 20 (BGN 7.80).

Because of the high budget deficit, which is expected to amount to 8.6% of GDP, Romanian authorities are considering raising VAT, with comments on an increase to 25% from the current 19%.

Turkiye

The VAT on bread in Turkiye is 1%, however, at the beginning of 2025, the price of bread in many areas, Ankara and Istanbul included, rose by 25%. After the increase on January 3, the price of bread weighing 200 g, the most popular type in the country, hit 12.5 Turkish liras (TRY) or BGN 0.67 compared to the previous TRY 10 or BGN 0.54. Converted to kg, this type of bread now sells for TRY 62.5 or BGN 3.38 per kg.

Bread producers justified the decision to increase the price of bread with the 30% increase in the minimum wage in Turkiye.

In some places in Turkiye, similar bread of 200 g is sold at lower prices. The capital of Ankara is one such place, with this type of bread selling at TRY 8 (BGN 0.43) per 200 g or TRY 40 (BGN 2.16) per kg.

VAT of 1% is applied in Turkiye to basic food products, including bread and pasta, milk, cheese. The tax was reduced from 8% to 1% on February 14, 2022.

Serbia

In November 2024, the Serbian government decided that the maximum retail price of T500 flour bread, sold in 500 g packs, would remain for another six months at 59 Serbian dinars (RSD) equal to BGN 0.98, or RSD 118 (BGN 1.97) per kg. The maximum producer price has remained RSD 50.6 since July 1, 2024, when it was raised by RSD 5.

North Macedonia

VAT on bread and pasta in the Republic of North Macedonia is 5%, compared to the country's standard VAT rate of 18%. Last year, the SDSM party proposed legal amendments to abolish VAT on food products.

The price of bread varies between 30 and 50 Macedonian denars (MKD), equivalent to BGN 0.95 and 1.59. White bread, the most popular type in the country, sells for MKD 33 for a pack of 470 g, equivalent to BGN 2.23 per kg.