The Hungarian competition authority, Gazdasági Versenyhivatal (GVH), has revealed that Vodafone Hungary Zrt. did not clearly communicate the terms related to inflation-linked fee adjustments to consumers between October 2022 and May 2024. This misleading practice has resulted in a fine of 352 million HUF imposed on Vodafone's successor, One Magyarország Zrt.

During the investigation, the GVH focused on whether Vodafone's communication practices regarding fee adjustments complied with consumer protection regulations. The authority noted that Vodafone promoted loyalty packages without adequately informing consumers about the potential for annual inflation-related fee increases during the contract period.

Vodafone's practices, which were based on a modification of the general terms and conditions effective from August 8, 2022, were found to be deceptive. The company failed to provide consumers with a clear understanding of the total costs they would incur during the loyalty period, as it did not sufficiently highlight the possibility of annual fee increases.

One Magyarország Zrt., the successor company, cooperated fully with the GVH throughout the proceedings, acknowledged the violation, and waived its right to appeal. The company has committed to ceasing the criticized commercial practices starting in May 2024.