The Hungarian competition authority, Gazdasági Versenyhivatal (GVH), has fined Aldi 123 million HUF for misleading advertising. The authority found that Aldi's claims of having the 'widest selection' and 'best deals' were not adequately supported by objective data.

The investigation began in the summer of 2025 after the GVH noticed that Aldi had been using these claims in its commercial communications since March 2025. The authority suspected that these statements were false and misleading.

Aldi based its claims on a first-place award it received in the 'Best Deals!' and 'Widely Selection!' categories at the Nők Lapja Food Awards 2024. However, the GVH determined that this award was not sufficient to objectively substantiate market leadership, as it was based on a subjective public vote and the timing of the marketing communication.

The GVH concluded that the advertising campaign's message led average consumers to believe that Aldi's selection was objectively the widest compared to competitors and that it offered the most significant discounts, which constituted a claim of market leadership.

The authority emphasized that such claims should only be made if the company possesses objective and timely data to support them at the time of the advertisement's publication. The GVH also noted that similar misleading claims had previously led to fines for other companies, including Lidl.

As a result of the GVH's actions, Aldi ceased the misleading practices and modified its advertising materials. The GVH has also published detailed guidance on the lawful use of market leadership claims to assist businesses and consumers.