Bulgaria’s competition authority has opened a preliminary probe into pricing practices at Sofia Airport’s food and beverage outlets, amid growing public complaints about unusually high costs for basic items.
The Commission on Protection of Competition said it is examining whether there is possible abuse of a dominant market position in the retail sector at Vasil Levski Airport Sofia. The investigation was triggered by multiple reports from consumers and public commentary pointing to significantly higher prices inside the airport compared with other European airports.
According to the regulator, initial observations suggest that coffee, bottled water, soft drinks and food products are being sold at notably elevated levels within the airport’s commercial areas.
Preliminary findings also indicate that a small number of operators control a large share of retail locations across both terminals, working in coordination with the airport concessionaire. This structure, the Commission noted, could potentially limit competition and influence pricing.
The authority said it will conduct a detailed assessment of market entry conditions, the level of competition in the sector, and whether certain business practices may be restricting competition and contributing to unjustifiably high consumer prices.
