Car sale profits in Bulgaria have soared by 21.9% in September compared to the same period last year. According to the Union of the Importers of Automobiles in Bulgaria (UIAB) sales of new cars, light and heavy duty trucks, buses and motorcycles have increased by 43.8% between January and September this year.
Automobiles and trucks accounted for the majority of sales in the nine-month period, with 16,093 vehicles sold, a 42% increase. Skoda Fabia has seen the most sales, a total of 807. From January to September 501 trucks were sold, up from 313 in the same period of 2003.
Ernst & Young data shows a relatively high level of car ownership in Bulgaria - 327 per 1000 inhabitants for 2002. However, the market is saturated with used cars which account for 85% of the car park. This has a considerable negative effect on the sales on new cars, with a 10 to 1 ratio in 2003 and the most popular price at €1500-2500.
Bulgaria and the rest of Eastern Europe also remain key destinations for automotive producers, according to a survey published by Ernst & Young. Currently, every third Western European automotive supplier has operations in Eastern Europe, with 39% intending to transfer parts of their production process to the region. The main destinations continue to be Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
September has also seen an increase in the sales of clothing and footwear in Bulgaria, according to the country’s National Statistics Institute (NSI).
