E-Commerce Adoption Trends in Bulgarian Agriculture

Abstract The digital transformation of agriculture is reshaping traditional business models, yet e-commerce adoption remains limited. This study examines the extent of e-commerce adoption among Bulgarian agricultural enterprises, leveraging data from 5,555 active companies registered with Bulgaria’s National Revenue Agency and the Apis database. Notably, the study adopts a total universe approach, encompassing the entire population of active agricultural enterprises rather than relying on a representative sample. This comprehensive inclusion ensures that the findings accurately reflect the state of e-commerce adoption. The analysis reveals that only 108 firms operate online stores, indicating significant barriers to digitalization. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study employs descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing (ANOVA, Chi-Square), and qualitative insights from farmers’ market vendors to assess financial performance, regional disparities, and structural challenges. The findings highlight a pronounced North-South digital divide, with southern businesses exhibiting higher e-commerce adoption rates. Statistical tests confirm that firm size, EU project participation, and access to funding significantly influence digital integration. However, financial performance indicators such as return on equity and revenue per employee show no immediate benefits from e-commerce adoption, suggesting that profitability is not the primary driver of digital transformation. Instead, engagement in EU-funded projects emerges as the most significant predictor of e-commerce adoption, underscoring the role of external support mechanisms. Qualitative findings reveal that informal online sales channels, such as social media, direct messaging and phone communications, dominate the sector, further reflecting hesitancy toward formal e-commerce integration due to regulatory burdens and insufficient digital literacy. These results emphasize the need for targeted policy interventions, infrastructure investment, and tailored support programs to bridge the digital divide in agriculture. By identifying structural and behavioral barriers, this study contributes to the growing discourse on digitalization in rural economies and offers recommendations for fostering e-commerce adoption among agricultural enterprises.