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In the first half of February, the Hungarian Authority for Consumer Protection checked compliance with the food price cap in more than 500 stores. Experience shows that, with a few exceptions, retailers have lowered their prices and keep the required food at the regulated quantities, reports news portal 24.hu. Officials only found violations in 42 cases. The authority decided to impose fines totaling 300,000 forints (EUR 850). According to the responsible ministry ITM, the government’s goal was achieved and prices were reduced, which is especially helpful for families with children and elderly people.
This article was originally published on our sister-site, Ungarn Heute.
During the 512 inspections carried out in the first two weeks of February, only 42 violations were found. 25 stores charged higher prices than statutory, and 14 did not offer the right quantity of food in question. In a total of 7 stores, the prescribed information was either missing altogether or did not fully comply with the regulations.
The most common violation made by shops was in relation to cooking oil, with fourteen cases of incorrect prices and five of incorrect quantities.
Everything seems to indicate that the adjustment went smoothly, with the vast majority of stores adapting to the frozen food prices without any disruption. In the second week of the series of inspections, colleagues encountered far fewer problems, said Péter Cseresnyés, the state secretary responsible for consumer protection.
One rural store collected the highest fine of 100,000 forints to date for charging more than one and a half times the statutory price for cooking oil, Cseresnyés added.
The price freeze will remain in effect until May 1, 2022.
Featured photo by Zoltán Balogh/MTI