Network Bulgaria
Qualitative market research agency in Bulgaria
MindMarket is a market research agency that runs qualitative studies in Bulgaria, from in-depth interviews and focus groups to shop-alongs and UX research, with moderators who live in the country and one project manager for your whole study. Bulgaria has a population of 6.70 million and a median age of 44.8, and 87.1 per cent of residents are online (DataReportal, Digital 2026). The country adopted the euro on 1 January 2026, so shelf prices are in a currency that shoppers have used for less than a year. Price and pack research in Bulgaria asks about the price paid and the lev price remembered.
AT A GLANCE
Bulgaria at a glance for researchers
- Population. 6.70 million people, median age 44.8, 77.5 per cent in urban areas (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Sofia, the capital, holds about a fifth of the residents. Plovdiv is the second city, Varna and Burgas are the ports on the Black Sea, and Ruse sits on the Danube. The population is ageing and has fallen for three decades. Sofia lies in the west, at the foot of Vitosha mountain, and Varna is five hours away by motorway.
- Languages. Bulgarian, written in Cyrillic, in every session. A Turkish-speaking minority lives in the north-east and around Kardzhali in the south, and participants there are asked which language they prefer. Our moderators live in Bulgaria.
- Internet and mobile. 5.84 million internet users, 87.1 per cent of the population, and 9.18 million mobile connections (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Mobile data is among the fastest we see, with a median download speed of 216.83 Mbps against 82.07 Mbps on fixed lines (same source). Social media counts 4.50 million user identities, 67.1 per cent of the population.
- Where fieldwork happens. Sofia first, then Plovdiv for the south and Varna or Burgas for the coast. Ruse, Stara Zagora or Pleven join the plan for a national decision, and village households take part online. Beyond Sofia, we use hotel or office meeting rooms, or meet online.
- Data protection. The GDPR applies, as in every member state of the European Union. Nothing is recorded until the participant has heard what it is for and has agreed.
- Timing. 3 March, 6 May, 24 May, 6 September and 22 September are public holidays, and Orthodox Easter falls on its own date. July and August are holiday months, when the Black Sea coast fills with visitors. 1 November is a day off for schools.
IN THE FIELD
How does an interview run in Bulgaria?
In Bulgaria, Sofia earns more than the rest of the country and buys differently. Head offices, technology companies and delivery apps are concentrated in the capital, and smaller towns have older residents and tighter budgets. A study in Bulgaria adds at least one city to Sofia. The Black Sea coast adds a third pattern, shaped by the summer season.
- Prices in euros, memories in leva. Stimulus shows prices in euros, as on the shelf. The moderator asks what the participant thinks the item cost before the change, and which products feel more expensive since. Receipts from the last shop are looked at with the participant, with their agreement.
- Sofia, then a contrast. Plovdiv stands for the south and Varna for the coast. Local recruiters work in each of them, and the report reads the cities one by one. Burgas or Ruse are added when the brief asks for a third city.
- An older market. With a median age of 44.8, quotas are set by age on purpose. Older participants are met in person, in the daytime, and younger ones online, in the evening. Older village residents are visited from the nearest town.
- Cyrillic on the screen. Packaging, app screens and advertising are tested in Bulgarian, in Cyrillic. Brand names in Latin letters are read aloud by participants, which shows how they pronounce and remember them. Translations are checked by a native speaker before fieldwork.
RECRUITMENT
How do you recruit participants in Bulgaria?
- We recruit through local partners in Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna, by city, age, income and category use. A reminder call goes out to every participant the day before, and you sign off the quotas before recruitment begins. People from small towns join by video or travel to the nearest city.
- B2B participants are recruited by direct approach, with their position verified ahead of the interview. Frequent study participants are screened out of consumer groups. Technology professionals, a large group in Sofia, are often interviewed in English, by their choice.
- MindMarket pays every participant's incentive itself. You never handle it.
METHODS
Which methods work in Bulgaria?
Most studies in Bulgaria run as in-depth interviews and focus groups, with shop-alongs, UX research or mystery shopping when the question needs them.
| Method | Works well when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| In-depth interviews | Finance, IT, health and B2B audiences, by video or in person | English used where Bulgarian would give fuller answers |
| Focus groups | New concepts, campaigns, food and drink in Sofia and Plovdiv | Treating a single Sofia group as the whole country |
| Shop-alongs | Supermarkets, discounters and open-air markets | Price reactions recorded without asking what the old price was |
| UX research | Banking, retail and telecoms apps on the participant's own phone | Screens translated but never read by a Bulgarian speaker |
| Mystery shopping | Bank branches, telecom shops, pharmacies and car showrooms | Coastal resorts in summer, when staff and customers are seasonal |
QUESTIONS
Questions buyers ask about research in Bulgaria
How much does market research cost in Bulgaria?
A full-service qualitative study with MindMarket starts at $40,000 for the first market, and Bulgaria added to a multi-country study starts from $8,000. A second city moves the price more than extra sessions in Sofia. Every quote is itemised and follows within 48 hours of a first call. Estimate your study.
How do I choose a market research agency in Bulgaria?
Choose by what the study has to decide. A Bulgarian polling company fits a national survey or a retail audit. A qualitative specialist such as MindMarket fits a brand from outside Bulgaria that needs local people heard in their own language, by moderators who live there, with one team across every country. Read how to choose a global qualitative research agency.
How does the euro change price research in Bulgaria?
The euro makes every price new to participants in Bulgaria. Since 1 January 2026 shelf prices are in euros, and participants have a lifetime of lev prices in mind. We show the current price, ask for the remembered one, and report where the gap changes what people buy. Rounded prices and smaller packs are discussed with real examples from the participant's own basket.
Is Sofia enough for research in Bulgaria?
Sofia gives a sound first read of better-paid city buyers, about a fifth of the population. For a national decision in Bulgaria, add Plovdiv or Varna, where incomes are lower and retail differs. Two cities are usually enough. A further city adds a recruiter and about three days of fieldwork.
Can research in Bulgaria be run in English?
Research with technology and business professionals in Bulgaria can often run in English. Consumer sessions run in Bulgarian, because people describe prices, food and family more fully in their own language. Your team follows through live interpretation, and the report is in English. Screens and prototypes can stay in English for professional audiences who work in it.
Can you help us decide, not only run the interviews?
Yes. Beyond the fieldwork, our Customer-Led Strategy work turns what people in Bulgaria told us into a recommendation: what to do, what not to do, and why. We form the hypotheses, test them with your customers and recommend from their words. If you already work with strategy consultants, we work alongside them.
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