Marketing Strategy Adaptations for Businesses during Bulgaria’s Euro Adoption: Lessons from Croatia
Marketing Strategy Adaptations for Businesses during Bulgaria’s Euro Adoption: Lessons from Croatia

Author(s): Inna Petrova
Subject(s): Economy, Micro-Economics, Marketing / Advertising
Published by: Икономически университет - Варна
Keywords: euro adoption; marketing strategy; Bulgaria; Croatia; dual pricing; communication design; pricing transparency; consumer trust
Summary/Abstract: This study examines the strategic marketing challenges facing Bulgarian businesses ahead of the country’s planned euro adoption in January 2026, using Croatia’s 2023 transition as a comparative case. Adopting a qualitative, theory-driven approach, it introduces a Strategic Marketing Framework for Euro Adoption (SMF-EA), which integrates communication design, pricing transparency, and consumer trust management. The analysis finds that Croatia’s success was driven not only by legal compliance but also by proactive, emotionally resonant campaigns that combined institutional leadership with business engagement. In contrast, Bulgaria’s preparations remain largely institutionally focused, with limited participatory outreach. The findings demonstrate that euro adoption is both an economic reform and a behavioural transformation, where marketing is critical for public acceptance. Practical recommendations are offered for businesses and policymakers, emphasizing early dual pricing, symbolic trust signals, and culturally adapted communication, supported by real-time consumer engagement and coordinated public–private action.

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