These are the cheapest shops in Hungary according to the price monitoring system
On 1 July, the long-awaited online price monitoring system was launched. The system aims to assist shoppers in finding the best prices during mandatory promotions, ultimately helping families save money.
The Hungarian government’s online price monitoring system, announced months ago, went live a few days ago. The system allows Hungarian shoppers to conveniently check online where they can find the basic food items they want to buy at the best prices offered during mandatory promotions. The hope is that this information in advance will enable consumers to save thousands of forints, writes Pénzcentrum.
Unfair competition?
The implementation of this measure is mandatory for the largest retail chains. Especially for those with a net turnover exceeding HUF 100 billion (EUR 2,670,184). These chains are required to provide data to the price monitoring system. However, concerns have been raised about the system.
One concern is that since the obligation to provide data to the Competition Authority (Versenyhatóság) only applies to shops above a certain revenue threshold, customers will only see prices from shops that already face fierce competition. In other words, the prices of more expensive small shops will not be included in the “average” shown.
Price monitoring website
Upon opening the price watcher, users are greeted with a clean and simple interface. At the top of the page, there is a search bar where users can browse for specific food items. Additionally, there is a store locator on the map, allowing users to find the nearest store. Once the desired product is selected, shoppers can proceed to the store to make their purchase.
Scrolling down further, users can utilise the price watcher to browse through various staple food categories, including dairy products, cheese, eggs, meat, cold cuts, vegetables, fruit and bread.
Monitoring in action – where to shop?
Now, let’s explore the best deals available, for example, for apple juice. According to the price watcher, Auchan offers the best prices, with their private label apple juice priced at HUF 269 (EUR 0.75) per litre. Lidl follows closely with the same price for their apple juice.
However, please note that these products are exclusively available at these specific stores. If you prefer established brands, Spar has a great offer with Sió Premium apple juice priced at HUF 579 (EUR 1.61). This is significantly cheaper than other stores where it is sold for no less than HUF 800 (EUR 2.23).
If you find yourself running low on cooking oil, the price watcher can also lend a hand. At Spar, a litre of Oillo sunflower oil is priced at HUF 399 (EUR 1.11). Tesco has also made a significant price drop, reducing the price of their sunflower oil from HUF 713 (EUR 1.99) to HUF 499 (EUR 1.39), making it the second cheapest product in this category.
Source: Pénzcentrum