Until December 31, vending machines in Bulgaria will continue to operate using leva, but from January 1, 2026, all transactions will switch to euros. Experts anticipate some challenges for consumers during this transition. Hristomir Hristov, director of the vending department at European Coffee Experts, explained that the law requires currency conversion to favor customers. For instance, a drink priced at 1 leva should convert to 50 euro cents, not 51, while vending machines themselves are not equipped to handle coins smaller than 1 or 2 euro cents.

Hristov noted that any price increases after January 1 will not result from currency conversion but rather from rising delivery costs. For vending machine operators, the switch presents several difficulties, including updating labels, implementing double pricing, and reprogramming payment systems. He highlighted that the most complicated adjustments involve replacing banknote validators and coin mechanisms, particularly on older machines.

His organization operates 280 machines, many of which may need to be temporarily taken out of service until technicians can perform the necessary upgrades. Newer devices installed in recent years generally require only reprogramming, while older machines are likely to incur higher costs to meet the new euro requirements.

Source: BNR