The main reasons for this increase lie in several key commodity groups. The biggest increase was observed in the “Transport” sector, where prices jumped by 10.6%. The Clothing and Shoes group also reported a solid growth of 7.9% compared to March. Food products and soft drinks rose in price by 2.1% in April. An increase of 0.8% is expected for alcoholic beverages and tobacco products. The only drop of 1.5% was recorded in entertainment, sports and culture.
Bulgaria has already published data on flash inflation, as a full member of the Eurozone. Our country joined the currency union on January 1, 2026. This mechanism allows an early comparison with the other 20 countries in the union. The flash inflation mechanism was officially introduced by the NSI on February 3. Usually the discrepancy between the express and the final assessment is minimal.
By comparison, final inflation data in March 2026 showed an annual increase of 4.1%. Monthly inflation for the same period was pegged at 0.9%. At the beginning of the year, monthly inflation in our country was expected to be around 0.7%. In February, the annual consumer price index was 3.3%. Inflation statistics in November 2025 indicated a value of 5.2%.
The prices of goods from the small basket also recorded an increase in April. This group covers the needs of the lowest income 20 percent of households. Food products for these consumers increase in price by 2.4 percent. Non-food items in the small basket grew by 1.8%. Services for this category of citizens increase minimally by 0.1 percent.
Research data shows discrepancies in the forecasts of different financial institutions. BNB expects annual inflation of 3.7% under its baseline scenario for the year. The Fiscal Council forecasts average levels of 4.2 percent for the whole of 2026. These values are significantly lower than the current NSI flash estimate. The statistical institute itself expects the final annual inflation for April to be 4.7 percent.
