The Hungarian competition authority (GVH) has concluded a rapid sectoral investigation into the consumer price dynamics of sunflower oil in Hungary. The investigation revealed that the EPR fee, rising raw material costs, and the exchange rate of the forint against the euro significantly influenced the price of sunflower oil. Despite the introduction of a price margin reduction, it did not lead to a decrease in sunflower oil prices.

In January 2026, the GVH, in collaboration with the Hungarian National Bank (MNB), initiated this investigation due to concerns that sector-specific market characteristics led to a more significant price increase for sunflower oil in Hungary compared to neighboring countries in 2025.

According to data from the Central Statistical Office (KSH), per capita sunflower oil consumption in Hungary is around 10-12 liters annually, translating to over 100 million liters used in domestic households. The demand for sunflower oil is primarily met by domestic suppliers, with a smaller portion (10-20%) covered by foreign imports.

The GVH found that since December 2024, the consumer price of sunflower oil in Hungary has increased significantly more than the average in Visegrad countries, despite retail price margin restrictions. The price change from December 2024 to autumn 2025 exceeded the average changes in consumer prices in Slovakia, Poland, and the Czech Republic by approximately 6 percentage points.

The investigation identified three main factors contributing to the higher consumer prices of sunflower oil in Hungary compared to other Visegrad countries:

1. **Increase in EPR Fee**: Unlike other European countries, Hungary's EPR fee applies not only to packaging but also to the product itself. The GVH found that the increase in the EPR fee in October 2025 significantly raised consumer prices, accounting for about 10% of the final consumer price of sunflower oil.

2. **Insignificant Impact of Price Margin Reduction**: The price margin reduction introduced on March 17, 2025, capped the retail gross margin for sunflower oil at 10%. However, data indicated that most products already had margins below this threshold, rendering the intervention ineffective in reducing consumer prices or inflation for sunflower oil.

3. **Strengthening of the Forint**: The consumer price dynamics are also influenced by raw material costs and international exchange rates. The strengthening of the forint against the euro in 2025 technically increased inflation data in Hungary, although this was somewhat offset by international pricing trends for sunflower seeds.

The GVH's investigation did not uncover any indications of anticompetitive behavior in the domestic sunflower oil market. The draft report summarizing the findings has been made available for public consultation until May 26, 2026, allowing market participants to submit written comments.