Statistical data

In February 2025, the turnover in ‘Retail trade, except motor vehicles and motorcycles’ at constant prices decreased by 1.7% compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

A decrease was reported in ‘Retail sales of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ - by 2.3%, in ‘Retail sales of non-food products (except fuel)’ - by 1.9%, and in ‘Retail sales of food, beverages and tobacco’ - by 1.7%.

The trade turnover rose by 2.4% compared to the same month of 2024 according to the calendar-adjusted data.

In February 2025, compared to the same month of 2024, a growth of the turnover was registered in ‘Retail sales of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ - by 11.5%, and ‘Retail sales of non-food products (except fuel)’ - by 3.7%. A decrease was reported in ‘Retail sales of food, beverages and tobacco’ - by 2.1%.

In January 2025, the total production index in Services of the business economy increased by 3.0% compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

Compared to January 2024, a rise of 7.6% was registered in the calendar-adjusted index according to preliminary data.

In the fourth quarter of 2024:

• Тhe Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.4% compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.
• 68.4% of GDP were spent on individual consumption.
• The relative share of gross fixed capital formation in GDP was 22.1%.
• The employment rate for the population aged 15 years and over was 53.2%.
• The unemployment rate was 3.8% (compared to 4.2% in the fourth quarter of 2023), 4.4% for men and 3.2% for women, respectively.
• Compared to the fourth quarter of 2023, the total hourly labour cost rose by 12.8% (preliminary data).
• Compared to the fourth quarter of 2023, housing prices increased by 18.3%.

In January 2025, the total consumer confidence indicator drops by 7.3 percentage points compared to October 2024.

For February 2025, the reported revenues of sub-sector ‘Central Government’ were in the amount of BGN 3 028.94 million and the expenditures were in the amount of BGN 4 684.27 million, and for the sub-sector ‘Social Security Funds’ the revenues amounted to BGN 2 853.37 million and the expenditures were BGN 2 972.05 million.

The data for the ‘Central Government’ sub-sector are formed on the basis of the monthly cash statements of the budget units, as well as on estimates of the state enterprises reclassified in the sub-sector, and the data for the ‘Social Security Funds’ sub-sector - on the basis of the monthly cash statements of the National Insurance Institute and the National Health Insurance Fund.

The information is published on the basis of Article 3 (2) of Directive 2011/85 of the EU.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Government Finance Statistics'.

In January 2025, compared to December 2024, an increase was reported in the production of: solid fuels - by 15.6%, and electricity - by 10.5%. A decrease was reported in the production of: motor gasoline - by 13.2%, and transport diesel - by 3.6%. There was no change in the production of liquefied petroleum gases and natural gas.

Compared to January 2024, an increase was reported in the production of: solid fuels - by 71.0%, liquefied petroleum gases - by 25.0%, transport diesel - by 13.6%, and electricity - by 13.4%. A decrease is reported in the production of motor gasoline - by 10.3%. There was no change in the production of natural gas.

In January 2025, compared to December 2024, an increase was reported in the deliveries of: solid fuels - by 15.8%, transport diesel - by 14.8%, motor gasoline - by 12.2%, liquefied petroleum gases - by 8.6%, electricity - by 3.8%, and natural gas - by 1.0%. No decrease was observed in any of the products.

Compared to January 2024, an increase was reported in the deliveries of: solid fuels - by 66.1%, transport diesel - by 16.4%, and natural gas - by 0.7%. A decrease was observed in the deliveries of: motor gasoline - by 11.5%, liquefied petroleum gases - by 2.6%, and electricity - by 0.6%.

Expenditure on tourist trips of persons 15 years and over in 2024 was estimated at 4 045.6 million BGN and increased by 18.8% in comparison to 2023. Those made in the country amounted to 2 221.5 million BGN, and abroad - 1 824.1 million BGN.

Expenditure for private trips represented 96.2% (including tourist packages) and increased by 18.7% compared to 2023, while those for professional travel were 3.8% of all expenses and increased by 19.7%.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Tourism'.

In the period July - December 2024, the electricity prices, including all taxes, levies and VAT (incl. state compensations) for non-household customers increased compared to the period January - June 2024. The largest increase - by 42.5%, is recorded in group I7 with annual consumption over 150 000 MWh.

In the same period, a slight increase in the electricity prices, including all taxes, levies and VAT was observed for households customers too. The highest rise - by 2.7%, is recorded in the biggest households customers in group D5 with annual consumption over 15 000 kWh.

On annual basis in 2024, compared to the previous year 2023, the prices with all taxes, levies and VAT (including state compensations) for non-households customers decreased for all groups. The largest decrease of over 16% was registered in group I1 with annual consumption up to 20 MWh and group I5 with annual consumption between 20 000 and 70 000 MWh.

For household customers, on an annual basis, electricity prices including all taxes, fees and VAT increased compared to the previous year, with the largest increase - 3.4%, recorded in group D2 with annual consumption between 1 000 and 2 500 kWh.

Changes in the final electricity prices for non-household customers are a result of the price situation on the free energy market. For household customers, the changes are determined by the regulated electricity market and by the yearly defined prices for electricity on a daily and nightly scale (component ‘Energy and Supply’) and prices for transmission and access through the electricity transmission and distribution networks (component ‘Network’) by the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission.

Data are representative for the country - all suppliers of electricity provide data on household and final non-household customers, for the quantities delivered through transmission/distribution network. They are calculated as weighted average prices by the actual delivered quantities of electricity and the corresponding invoiced values to final customers, by standard annual consumption bands, for the observed six-month period in the following two directions:

• By levels of taxation - data are reported twice per year, for the periods January to June and July to December;
• By components and sub-components - data are collected every semester, but are reported annually as arithmetic average prices.

The information is published pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2016/1952 on European statistics on natural gas and electricity prices.

Detailed data on electricity and natural gas prices are published on the NSI website under the heading ‘Energy’.

In the period July - December 2024, the natural gas prices, including all taxes, levies and VAT for non-household customers increased slightly compared to the period January - July 2024. The largest increase - by 3%, is recorded in group I3 with annual consumption between 10 000 GJ and 100 000 GJ.

In the same period, an increase is also observed for the natural gas prices, including all taxes, levies and VAT for all groups of household customers. The largest increase - by 6.2%, is recorded for the smallest consumers in group D1 with annual consumption up to 20 GJ.

On annual basis in 2024, compared to the previous year 2023, the natural gas prices with all taxes, levies and VAT for non-household customers decrease by more than 20% for all groups. The largest decrease - by 23.1%, is registered in group I4 with annual consumption between 100 000 GJ and 1 000 000 GJ.

For the household customers, on annual basis in 2024 compared to 2023, a decrease by an average of over 19% is observed for the natural gas prices, including all taxes, levies and VAT for all groups. The largest decrease by 21.1% is registered for the biggest consumers in group D3 with annual consumption over 200 GJ, and for group D2 with annual consumption from 20 GJ to 200 GJ, which includes the majority of household consumers, the decrease is 19.8%.

The main reason for the annual price reduction for all groups and types of end customers is a decrease in the price of natural gas - by an average of 30%. This price is part of the ‘Energy and Supply’ component and constitutes about 60% of the final price of natural gas for the consumers. An additional factor is the average decrease by 20% in the price for transmission and access (including capacity) on the gas transmission network, which is part of the ‘Network’ component.

Data are representative for the country - all suppliers of natural gas provide data on household and final non-household customers, for the quantities delivered through gas transmission/gas distribution network. They are calculated as weighted average prices by the actual delivered quantities of natural gas and the corresponding invoiced values to final customers, by standard annual consumption bands, for the observed six-month period in the following two directions:

• By levels of taxation - data are reported twice per year, for the periods January to June and July to December;
• By components and sub-components - data are collected every semester, but are reported annually as arithmetic average prices.

The information is published pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2016/1952 on European statistics on natural gas and electricity prices.

Detailed data on electricity and natural gas prices are published on the NSI website under the heading ‘Energy’.

In March 2025, the total business climate indicator decreases by 0.5 percentage points in comparison with February, as а decrease of the indicator is registered only in the industry.

The most serious difficulties for the business development in the sectors continue to be connected with the uncertain economic environment, shortage of labour, competition in the branch and insufficient demand.

The Total Producer Price Index in Industry rose by 2.8% in February 2025 compared to the previous month. An increase of 6.5% was registered in the mining and quarrying industry, and in the manufacturing industry - by 4.2%. A decrease was observed in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 1.2%.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market went up by 2.5% in February 2025 compared to January 2025. The domestic prices grew in the mining and quarrying industry - by 6.5%, and in the manufacturing industry - by 5.4%, while in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply was reported a decrease by 1.6%.

The Total Producer Price Index rose by 16.2% in February 2025 compared to the same month in 2024. An increase was observed in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 42.6%, in the mining and quarrying industry - by 30.0%, as well as in the manufacturing industry - by 11.4%.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market increased by 19.1% compared to February 2024. The prices rose in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 49.1%, in the mining and quarrying industry - by 21.9%, and in the manufacturing industry - by 11.1%.