Beans from China, Egypt 'Sold as Bulgarian'

Packages of beans coming from Egypt or China that contain indications of "local" origin are sold in the country, the consumer protection watchdog has revealed.

After an inspection, the Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) has established that a "misleading" text is placed as part of the front-of-package label, while the real country of origin is only shown in a smaller text on the back, it says on its website.

The CPC has pointed two Bulgarian companies, which are in charge of packaging and distributing the respective goods, as offenders.

However, neither the names of the companies nor the fines imposed on them can be revealed before the sanctions have entered into force.

The minimum penalty for misleading or deceptive trade conduct is BGN 30 000 (EUR 15 000) under Bulgarian law.