The National Statistical Institute deals with many interesting things such as ordering our consumer basket and distributing the place of bread, cheese, blades and other vital things inside it. Let us peek into it.

NSI acknowledged that we have reduced consumption of white bread since the beginning of the year, but it cannot be accurately determined whether it is because of the increased flour price and therefore the increase in the price of bread, or because of any new food culture, which made its way in Bulgaria, that is more fruits, vegetables and meat on the table at the expense of bread, which is clearly marked by statisticians.

Primacy is held by pork. Among the types of bread there is a slightly increased consumption of dietary and whole grain species. It is shown that we eat and buy mostly rice, which opens a new niche for twinning with Asian countries. A significant share on the table has paste products - macaroni and snacks. We have increased slightly the consumption of fish also, which is good. From the fruits most popular are citrus fruits. In the consumer basket meat occupies an increased share, especially pork and short lasting sausages. From the products for Shopska salad tomatoes are preferred to cucumbers. From the pulse beans are preferred to lentils. A certain growth has been noticed in consumption of bottled fruits and conserved red pepper purees and not home-made but purchased, which is a clear sign of the gradual disappearance of the made-in-home industry.

From the drinks, carbonated soft drinks and coffee are the first two in the top 3 in which the water occupies only third place. Tobacco products are also bought very often. This year, the share of clothing and footwear in our shopping cart has increased a bit, too, which means that we spend on them slightly more money than last year. In the forthcoming favorable season for repairs, however, fewer people have planned for such.

* What is a shopping cart?

The consumer basket includes goods and services, which are final consumption of households. This was explained by Albena Dancheva, Head of "Statistics of consumer prices" in the National Statistical Institute. Consumer basket for 2008 includes 551 goods and services, distributed into four consumer groups: food - 147; non-food goods - 243; services - 120 and eating away from home - 41. These goods and services are distributed in 12 major consumer categories:

* Food products and soft drinks;

* Alcoholic beverages and tobacco;

* Clothing and shoes;

* Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels;

* Housing furniture, household appliances and accessories;

* Health;

* Transport;

* Communications;

* Leisure, entertainment and cultural amenities;

* Education;

* Restaurants and hotels;

* Various goods and services.

Inflation is estimated based on the change in prices of essential consumer goods and services for given periods - months or a year.