Bulgaria has the world's lowest retail bread prices, according to Mariana Kukusheva, Chairman of the National Branch Union of Bakers and Confectioners. She emphasized that the pricing is determined by retail chains and a 20% VAT. The cost of bread components like energy and gas has escalated due to inflation, impacting the bread's affordability. Despite a good wheat harvest, wheat prices have risen by 40-45% due to global demand. Additionally, Bulgaria faces a labor shortage, with many young people unwilling to work and a significant portion of the workforce being employed in the public sector, leading to inefficiency.