The Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) is actively monitoring the food market and is prepared to intervene when necessary. They operate a free online price monitoring system called Árfigyelő, which tracks the prices of approximately 2,000 different food products across more than 1,200 stores nationwide. This system allows Hungarian families to save both money and time when shopping.

As of January 2025, food inflation has risen to 6%, with significant price increases noted for essential food items compared to the previous year. The GVH is closely observing market trends in specific product chains, such as eggs and dairy products, and is ready to support initiatives aimed at reducing prices.

GVH President Csaba Balázs Rigó sent a letter to several trade organizations representing producers and processors of essential food items, expressing concerns that regular price increase announcements from these organizations could violate fair market competition and exacerbate inflationary pressures.

The online Árfigyelő system, accessible at www.arfigyelo.gvh.hu, currently updates prices daily for over 2,000 food products across six major retail chains in 78 product categories. The system includes features like a shopping list function and a store locator, enabling families to save money and time during their shopping trips.

Good news is on the horizon as the Árfigyelő system is set to expand with new product categories. Representatives from the GVH and the Ministry of National Economy have held discussions to quickly identify new categories to be included in the system. GVH experts are also examining which categories would benefit most from price comparability and the market-stimulating effects of the online tool.

In the past month, the number of users of the Árfigyelő system has increased by approximately 30%. Additionally, data from the system indicates that retail chains have begun to lower prices on certain essential food items, such as dairy products, signaling an increase in daily price competition.