This year has been frustrating for many shoppers in Hungary, as prices for a wide range of products have increased significantly.

As a result, many consumers are hoping to take advantage of post-holiday sales to find some discounts, but as the Hungarian news portal Pénzcentrum writes, it seems that these discounts may not be as substantial as in previous years. With the reopening of shops on 27 December marking the start of the post-holiday sales season, many shoppers may be disappointed as the mega-sales that have been common in previous years are not expected to occur.

According to the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), prices in Hungary rose by 22.5 percent this November compared to November last year. In comparison with November 2021, the prices of food and household energy showed the highest increases. Food prices rose by 43.8 percent, while household energy rose by 65.9 percent compared to last year. Moreover, when comparing November prices to October, consumer prices rose by 1.8 percent on average. Given these price increases, it is no surprise that many are waiting for discounts before making purchases. However, it seems that they may need to find other ways to save money on their purchases during the post-holiday sales, as the big sales are not expected to happen now.

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What to expect?

Pénzcentrum asked the head of the Hungarian National Trading Association (OKSZ) György Vámos what exactly to expect this year regarding the post-holiday sales. Vámos explained that although there were already discounts at the Hungarian shops shortly before Christmas, the usual sales are still going to happen. However, unlike in previous years,