Your rights as a consumer
Directive 1999/44/EO on the sale of consumer products and associated guarantees is fully implemented in the Bulgarian legislation. The rules apply for purchase of movable material property. There are two types of guarantees – lawful and commercial.
The seller shall be responsible for every lack of correspondence of the consumer product with the contract for sale, which exists upon the delivery of the product and appears within two year after its delivery, even if he/she has not known for the non-compliance. Every non-compliance of the consumer product with the contract for sale, which appears within 6 months after the delivery of the product, shall be considered to have been existing upon its delivery, unless it shall be proved, that the lack of correspondence is due to the character of the product or the character of the non-compliance. At a non-compliance of the consumer product with the contract for sale, the consumer shall be entitled to lodge a complaint, as he/she requires from the seller to put the product in correspondence to the contract for sale. In that case the consumer may choose between making repair of the product or its exchange with a new one, unless this is impossible or the chosen way by him/her for compensation shall be not proportional in comparison with the other one. The putting of the consumer product in correspondence with the contract for sale shall be free of charge. Upon a non-compliance of the consumer product with the contract for sale and when the consumer is not satisfied from the resolution of the complaint he/she shall be entitled to choose between one of the following opportunities:
1. cancellation of the contract and refund of the sum paid by him;
2. reduction of the price.
However the consumer shall not be entitled to claim for a refund of the paid sum or a reduction of the price of the product, when the entrepreneur agrees to be made an exchange of the consumer product with a new one or the product to be repaired within the range of one month from the lodging of the complaint by the consumer.
The commercial guarantee shall be every obligation, undertaken by the seller or the producer toward the consumer, to refund the price, paid for the consumer product, to exchange or repair the product or to take other cares of it, if this shall not be related with charges for the consumer, when the consumer product does not meet the requirements, announced in the declaration for providing a commercial guarantee or in the advertisement, related to it. Independently from the commercial guarantee, the seller shall be responsible for the lack of correspondence of the consumer product with the contract for sale regarding the lawful guarantee.
Exchange
The trader is not obliged to exchange the product if it not faulty and it is in conformity with the contract for sale.
Pricing
- The Bulgarian currency is the Lev.
- The price must be displayed on the products or near them. VAT must be included in the price.
- The seller is obliged to issue a receipt to the consumer. If the seller fails to issue a receipt the authorities may impose penalty on the seller.
Tax
In Bulgaria VAT is fixed on the 20% value added for all products and services.
Methods of payment
The most common methods of payment in Bulgaria are cash, debit and credit cards. The payment by credit and debit card can be limited by the card`s emitter.
Sales
There are end of the summer an end of the winter sales periods, which in Bulgaria are not restricted by law.
During sales the consumer has the same rights as usually concerning defects and non-conformance.
Any price reduction must be announced in a clearly, readable and non-equivocal manner for each product or group of identical products:
- by mentioning the new price next to the old price, which will be barred, or
- by mentioning “new price”, “old price” next to corresponding values, or
- by mentioning the reduction percent and the new price next to the old price, which will be barred;
- In any case, always be careful when buying goods in sales and inspect them thoroughly!
Opening hours
Shopping centers and MALLs opening hours are:
Monday-Friday – 10.00-22 h.
Saturday – 10.00-21.00/22.00 h.
Sunday – 10.00-15.00 h.
Other shops
Monday-Friday 9.00-19.00
Saturday 9.00-14.00
Sunday and official holidays – most of them are closed.
In big cities and towns, there are specific gas stations with fast-food restaurants (burgers, hot-dogs, drinks, etc.), which are opened 24/7.
Banks in general are opened:
Monday-Friday – 9.00-16.30 h.
Post offices opening hours are:
Monday-Friday 8.00-16.30 h.
Saturday – 8.00-13.00 h.
Deposit
There are no legal rules for deposit on bottles, but there is a deposit for some bottles.
Tourist information
There are Tourist and Information Centers in most of the towns, which provide tourist information.
There is also tourist information for your holiday, business or shopping tour in Bulgaria on the following sites:
www.bgglobe.net
www.discover-bulgaria.com
www.travelbulgaria.com
www.bulgariatravel.com
