Euro and Google Merchant Center
Two major changes overlap this year for Bulgarian online stores, and many merchants still treat them as separate tasks. Bulgaria adopted the euro at the beginning of 2026, while Google Merchant Center - the platform that manages product feeds for Shopping - is expected by CSS partners and industry analysts to expand more fully toward Bulgaria in autumn 2026. A store that prepares its prices, feed and technical setup for both changes at the same time will enter the autumn season with a cleaner foundation. A store that handles the euro and Google Merchant Center as separate projects risks duplicate work, price mismatches and product disapprovals caused by differences between the price on the website and the price in the feed.
This article is a practical checklist. It explains what to review and in what order, so the store can approach the expected expansion with a tested feed, correct euro prices and working Schema markup.
Contents
- Why the euro and Google Merchant Center overlap right now
- Currency consistency: feed, website and Schema in sync
- Prices in euros: rounding, psychological thresholds and buyer trust
- The product feed: attributes to review before autumn
- Technical website checklist before Shopping activation
- CSS association and campaign choice
- Preparation timeline: July to October 2026
- Common mistakes that lead to product disapprovals
- Frequently asked questions
Why the euro and Google Merchant Center overlap right now
The euro is one of the factors that makes Bulgaria a more predictable market for the expected Shopping expansion. Google has not officially stated that the euro is the only reason for the timing, but a standardized currency does make it easier to display product cards correctly in Bulgarian search results. Without it, price comparison between markets is more complex and more expensive to maintain.
Two parallel market changes
On one side, online stores had to align their websites, checkout processes, invoices and price displays with the euro. On the other side, the expected Shopping expansion brings its own technical requirements inside the product feed and the Merchant Center account. The overlap is not accidental from a business perspective. Currency standardization reduces friction, while Shopping adds a new performance channel for product visibility.
What happened to the Bulgarian lev from 1 January 2026
Bulgaria became the twenty-first euro area country on 1 January 2026 at the fixed conversion rate of 1 euro to 1.95583 Bulgarian leva. During January, cash payments could still use both currencies in parallel, while from 1 February 2026 the euro became the only legal tender in the country. Bank accounts were converted automatically at the fixed rate on the changeover date.
Why the timing matters for Google Shopping
Without a single and stable currency, a product feed with prices in Bulgarian leva would create additional complexity when compared with other euro area markets. That is why, according to industry analysts, a Shopping expansion toward Bulgaria logically follows the currency change rather than preceding it. The market now has standardized price data, although Google has not published an official explanation for the exact timing.
Currency consistency: feed, website and Schema in sync
A mismatch between the currency in the feed, on the product page and in structured data is one of the most common technical reasons for product disapproval or limited visibility in Merchant Center. The first task before autumn is to make sure all three layers describe the same price in the same currency.
The three places that must show the same currency
The product feed, the product page and the JSON-LD Product Schema on that page should contain the same currency and the same price. If one of these elements remains outdated, for example a static Schema template still showing BGN, Google can detect a mismatch and restrict the product.
The most common reason for product disapproval
After a hurried currency migration, a typical issue is that the visible price on the product page changes to euros while the Schema markup remains unchanged because it was generated statically during website development. The page looks correct to the visitor, but the code still sends outdated price data to Google.
How to check consistency quickly
Google's rich results testing tools show exactly what price and currency are read from the structured data on a page. Comparing that result with the visible price and the product feed row takes only a few minutes per sample product and is a good first step before a larger audit.
Tools for bulk checks in large catalogs
For a catalog with hundreds or thousands of products, checking one item at a time is not practical. Exporting the feed and comparing it with a price export from the ecommerce platform in a spreadsheet reveals mismatches much faster. Merchant Center diagnostics also provides an overview of products with currency, price or feed issues.
Prices in euros: rounding, psychological thresholds and buyer trust
Mechanical conversion at the fixed rate of 1.95583 often produces prices that look awkward and hard to remember. After technical consistency, the next step is to review the price values themselves, not only whether they are correct, but whether they feel natural to buyers.
Rounding rules during conversion
The official rules require conversion and rounding to the second decimal place using the fixed rate. However, exact mathematical conversion does not always create commercially convenient prices. A product priced at BGN 19.99 converts to EUR 10.22. That may be technically correct, but it is not an easy psychological price point.
Psychological euro prices instead of legacy BGN logic
A practical approach is to review final euro prices and, where appropriate, align them with familiar thresholds such as EUR 9.99 or EUR 10.50, as long as the change is legally and commercially justified. The final price must then be consistent everywhere: in the feed, on the website, in campaigns and in marketing materials.
Dual price display is still mandatory
Dual price display in Bulgarian leva and euros did not end when the euro became legal tender. By law, it is mandatory from 8 August 2025 to 8 August 2026, which means that at the time of writing the obligation is still active. Consumer-facing prices, promotions and advertising materials must show both currencies side by side, with equal font size, style and color. The Merchant Center feed uses the euro as the market currency for Shopping, but this does not remove the separate legal requirement for the storefront to display the BGN equivalent until the end of the dual display period. Both requirements can coexist as long as the euro remains the clearly identifiable main price.
The product feed: attributes to review before autumn
The product feed is the structured file Merchant Center uses to understand, approve and rank products in Shopping environments. Once prices and currency are aligned, feed attributes become the next layer to review.
GTIN, MPN and brand identifiers
Not every product has an assigned unique product identifier, but if it does, you should provide it. For mass-produced products with a real GTIN, Google expects GTIN, MPN and brand data to be completed where applicable, and missing identifiers may limit visibility. For products without assigned identifiers, such as custom-made items, spare parts or private-label products, the GTIN field should remain empty rather than being filled with invented values.
Images above 500 by 500 pixels
From mid-April 2026, Merchant Center began showing warnings for product images under 500 by 500 pixels, and from 31 January 2027 the requirement becomes an approval condition. The practical recommendation is to use images well above the minimum size, on a clean background and without promotional text inside the image itself.
The new video_link field
From 30 June 2026, Google validates and can serve videos submitted through the video_link attribute in the feed. The field is optional, but stores that already have short product videos for social media can reuse them here and add more visual depth to their product listings.
Technical website checklist before Shopping activation
An approved feed will not perform well if the product page behind it is slow, confusing or inconsistent with the feed data. The technical foundation of the website is the next layer that must be ready before campaigns are activated.
Schema.org Product markup
Product structured data tells Google the price, availability and rating of a product directly from the page, while consistency with the feed acts as a quality signal. For a practical introduction, see our article on using Schema markup for better SEO.
Core Web Vitals and speed
Most Shopping traffic comes from mobile devices, and a slow product page can lose the buyer before they reach the order button. Recommended thresholds remain LCP under 2.5 seconds and INP under 200 milliseconds. When needed, this can also be reviewed as part of a broader SEO audit for an online store.
Checkout and cart review in euros
The checkout process is easy to overlook. Cart totals, final amounts and invoices should show the euro as the clear main currency, and until the end of the dual display period they should also show the BGN equivalent in a consistent and understandable way. A mismatch here may not always block Merchant Center approval, but it damages trust at the exact moment of purchase.
CSS association and campaign choice
In the European Economic Area, including Bulgaria, paid Google Shopping ads run through a Comparison Shopping Service, known as a CSS. The choice affects how paid Shopping traffic is managed and how much the store may pay for clicks.
What CSS association means
A Comparison Shopping Service is a platform that submits product data on behalf of merchants and participates in the Shopping auction. New Merchant Center accounts are usually associated with Google Shopping as the default CSS, while a merchant can choose an external CSS partner when that makes business sense.
Standard Google CSS or external partner
The standard setup is often enough for a start and for stores with smaller budgets. External CSS partners may offer a lower effective cost per click in exchange for sharing part of the discount they receive from Google. This difference usually matters more when the monthly advertising budget is higher.
Fees and payment models with CSS partners
CSS partners use different pricing models: a fixed monthly fee, a percentage of ad spend or a hybrid model. Before choosing a partner, compare not only the nominal click discount but also the total cost at the traffic volume you expect after the expansion. A small store may benefit more from a simple standard setup, while a larger advertiser may have a reason to negotiate individual terms with an external partner.
Impact on existing Google Ads campaigns
Shopping does not replace existing text campaigns. It adds a new format that should be aligned with the current account structure. Product listings may capture part of the clicks that previously came from text ads for specific models or brands, so the budget split should be reviewed shortly after launch. For the broader relationship between paid and organic channels, see Google Merchant Center Bulgaria: 2026 preparation guide.
Performance Max versus standard Shopping
Performance Max distributes budget across Shopping, Search, Display, YouTube and other placements automatically, and is convenient for scaling. It requires a clean feed and correct conversion tracking from the start. Standard Shopping gives more manual control over product groups and is useful for stores that want to test the channel gradually before moving to heavier automation.
Preparation timeline: July to October 2026
Preparation works best when divided into phases. Trying to finish everything in the last week before market activation almost always leads to missed details.
July and August: audit and test feed
Review euro prices across the website, test feed uploads in Merchant Center and check the first errors and warnings. In parallel, audit product images and identify which items still rely on outdated or undersized visuals.
September: rehearsal and approval
By September, the feed should be stable, Schema markup should be synchronized and the Merchant Center account should be verified and connected to Google Ads. This is also the moment to finalize the CSS decision and campaign structure.
October: launch and monitoring
After activation, monitor rejected products, category-level CPC, Shopping traffic and the difference between paid product visibility and organic traffic. The first weeks provide the data needed for real budget and bidding adjustments.
Common mistakes that lead to product disapprovals
Most product disapprovals in new markets come from a few repeated issues rather than rare exceptions. Knowing them in advance can save weeks of delay.
Price mismatch between feed and website
Even a difference of a few cents between the feed price and the live website price can be enough for disapproval. Automated promotions that do not update the feed are a common hidden cause.
Outdated images from before the currency transition
Stores that updated prices but not product photos may enter the autumn season with old images, often below the new 500 by 500 pixel threshold. Updating visuals is also a chance to clean up this technical debt.
Missing or incorrect identifiers
A product with an incorrect GTIN or unclear brand information may receive limited visibility even when everything else is correct. Checking identifiers against the real packaging or manufacturer data is a simple but often missed step.
Missing or unclear return policy
Merchant Center requires clear return and delivery information connected to the account, not just a vague paragraph hidden deep inside the website. After the currency transition, this policy should also be clear in euros. Confusing or contradictory return information reduces buyer trust and may affect product visibility in Shopping comparison features.
Frequently asked questions
Do I still have to show prices in Bulgarian leva on the website?
Yes. Until 8 August 2026, the law requires prices to be displayed in both Bulgarian leva and euros on all consumer-facing storefronts, including online stores. The Merchant Center product feed remains in euros as the main market currency, while the BGN equivalent is a separate parallel website obligation until the end of the period.
What happens if only part of the feed has the wrong currency?
Merchant Center evaluates each product individually. Affected products may be disapproved or receive warnings, while the rest of the catalog can continue to serve normally if it is correct.
When exactly is Google Shopping expected in Bulgaria?
According to CSS partners and industry analysts covering the Shopping market, the expansion is expected in autumn 2026 as part of a second wave of new European markets before the holiday season, but Google has not published an exact official date. For more context, see our article Google Merchant Center Bulgaria: 2026 preparation guide.
Is CSS association required for free product listings?
No. CSS association is relevant to paid Shopping ads. Free product listings are managed through Merchant Center under a lighter setup.
Where can I check the official conversion rate and changeover dates?
The official information about the fixed conversion rate and changeover timeline is published by the European Central Bank, while current product data requirements are maintained in the official Google Merchant Center specification.
Can I prepare the feed before Shopping officially opens for Bulgaria?
Yes. You can upload and test a product feed in Merchant Center in advance. Campaigns become active only after Google opens the market, but errors and warnings can be resolved months earlier.
In short: two changes, one preparation
The euro is already a fact, and autumn 2026 is expected to bring stronger Google Shopping opportunities for Bulgaria according to available industry forecasts. Stores that synchronize feed currency, website prices and Schema markup now will meet the expansion with approved products and working campaigns instead of solving urgent issues during the busiest season of the year. If you need a technical feed audit or a review of your product pages before launch, see how we approach online store development or contact us through the contact form for a specific consultation.
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