Food vouchers crisis

Food vouchers in Bulgaria are a form of social benefit that employers provide to their employees in addition to their salary. They can be used to purchase food and beverages in most of the retail outlets. From 1 July 2024, the vouchers went fully digital, making them easier to use and manage. This transition aimed to streamline their use, reduce administrative burdens for businesses and improve control over spending, ensuring that they serve their intended purpose.

However, despite the clear advantages of the digitalization of the vouchers, an unexpected wave of criticism emerged. Seemingly out of nowhere, attacks against food vouchers began to circulate, questioning their relevance, economic impact and the fairness of their distribution. The discussion rapidly picked up speed and there was a real risk that food vouchers might be excluded from the state budget for 2025.

Faced with this challenge, we rapidly developed a crisis strategy for the Association of Food Voucher Operators in the country to reinforce the key benefits for employees and employers. At the same time, we engaged influential voices from the business sector and economic experts to speak out in favor of maintaining the vouchers. Through targeted media appearances and working with opinion leaders we ensured that the public discourse remained balanced and factual. The results were clear. The narrative shifted and the government ultimately decided to keep them in the 2025 budget, recognizing their importance.