As Bulgaria prepares to adopt the euro on January 1, operators of vending machines for coffee, snacks, and other goods are negotiating a possible one-month extension to reprogram their devices. Without this adjustment period, there is a real risk that residents in small towns, hospitals, and transit hubs could be left without access to these machines during the first days of 2026, BNT reports.

Current law prevents machines from being updated to accept euros before the official adoption date. Meanwhile, some parking meters, particularly at Varna and Burgas airports, already accept card payments, reducing disruption in those areas.

The Bulgarian Vending Association notes that there are more than 30,000 vending machines nationwide, but only a fraction currently support card payments. Upgrading the machines to accept euros will involve installing new coins and updating software, posing operational challenges during the transition period.

Todor Kanazirev of the association warns that starting January 1, selling items exclusively in euros will require replacing coin mechanisms and, in some cases, even removing cash registers that lack a second GPRS channel to authorize updates through certified service centers. The association hopes the government will grant a one-month postponement to allow this work to be completed, preventing widespread interruption of service for consumers in smaller towns and hospitals. “If the machines stop, people will be left without coffee, energy drinks, hot beverages, water, or snacks,” Kanazirev said.

Costs for updating each vending machine are estimated at a minimum of 100 leva (roughly €51). The association notes that, by law, price increases are not permitted during the transition, even though adjustments would be justified. Kanazirev points out that a product previously costing 0.80 leva (€0.41) will be priced at 0.40 euros after conversion, significantly affecting profit margins on high-volume sales.

Beyond vending machines, devices used for parking payments in malls and other public facilities will also require updates. Card payment terminals are already in place at Varna and Burgas airports, ensuring continuity. Svetlana Simeonova, director of commercial operations at the airport operator, explained that these systems will remain unchanged on January 1 and noted that card payments are becoming increasingly widespread across the globe. For users without cards, counter payments will remain available after the euro adoption.

For those with piggy banks full of coins, the advice is to spend them by December 31 or donate them to charity. After January 1, merchants are legally obliged to accept coins, but may refuse payments exceeding 50 coins in a single transaction. The Bulgarian National Bank will exchange coins for banknotes: 1, 2, and 5 stotinki coins are accepted without fees, while exchanging larger denominations, such as 10, 20, 50 stotinki or 1 and 2 leva coins exceeding 200 leva (€102) may incur a fee.