site.btaModern Trade Association on Supermarket Boycott: Certain Factors in State Trying to Draw Retail Trade Chains into Political Fights

The Association for Modern Trade (AMT) Thursday issued a position in relation to the calls for a boycott of supermarkets by consumers on February 13 over the high prices of essential goods. "AMT members will continue to provide goods and services at competitive prices and with customer care as they have always done. We interpret this week's calls for a boycott as calls against honest, transparent and responsible businesses that are significant investors, honest taxpayers and leading employers," the position reads.

"Once again, certain factors in the State are trying to draw Bulgaria's retail chains into their political fights," the position reads further. "It does not do honour to leading representatives of political parties and senior government officials to manipulate public opinion with absolutely false claims about price rises and inflation, which is at its lowest level in three years, about fabulous profits in the retail trade, which neither independent external auditors nor government authorities have found so far, about the market behaviour of large retail chains, which fully complies with the legal provisions  regarding prohibited agreements, decisions and concerted practices, as confirmed by a January 23 decision of the Commission for Protection of Competition," the AMT says. 

According to the organisation, it is hardly a coincidence that this is happening at a time when Bulgaria is on the verge of meeting the inflation criterion for entry in the euro area and at a moment when attempts are being made to prepare a realistic state budget with a minimum deficit and elections are being prepared for members of a number of regulatory bodies. "Against this background, the desire to undermine the prestige not only of certain market players but also of some state institutions (the most blatant example is the pressure on the National Statistical Institute team) is particularly harmful and dangerous," the AMT warns.

The AMT recalls that modern trade contributes to over 8% of Bulgaria's GDP and creates jobs in a range of sectors from agriculture and manufacturing, through logistics and transport to security, advertising and marketing. The industry is a key factor in the EU's economic recovery and development in the coming years, with an estimated EUR 1.3 billion to be invested in Bulgaria in three main areas: digitalisation, sustainable development and skills.