Retail sales in Bulgaria increased by 7.3% year-on-year in February 2026, accelerating from an upwardly revised 4.2% rise in January. Growth strengthened markedly in food, beverages, and tobacco (5.3% vs 0.1% in January) and in non-food products excluding fuel (10.5% vs 8.3%). Within the latter category, the sharpest gains were recorded in computers, peripheral equipment and software, and telecommunications equipment (16.9% vs 10.5%), in non-specialized stores (4.7% vs 1.8%), and in sales via mail order houses and the internet (23.7% vs 13.1%).
Sales of automotive fuel and lubricants also returned to growth (0.4% vs -1.5%). By contrast, the pace of expansion eased in textiles, clothing, footwear, and leather goods (17.1% vs 19.8%) and in audio and video equipment (13.8% vs 15.2%), while sales of pharmaceutical and orthopedic products continued to contract (-3.2% vs -2.7%).
On a monthly basis, retail sales rose 1% in February, reversing a downwardly revised 0.4% decline in the previous month.
