Margin reduction in drugstores: prices will be reduced on hundreds of products from May 19

A new era began in domestic drugstores as of May 19: following the government’s decision, the effect of the margin reduction will now be felt on the shelves of DM, Rossmann and Müller. The aim of the measure is to curb the rise in prices of basic household goods – now not only in food stores, but also in the drugstore segment.

Prices of nearly a thousand products to be regulated

According to the decision, a maximum margin of 15 percent is permitted in 30 product categories, for about a thousand different items. The range of products affected is wide: from diapers to detergents and cleaning products to household paper products, it includes many everyday products. The government aims to make these goods more affordable for Hungarian families again.

According to the government, the experience so far is positive: since March 17, the price of 909 products has decreased, by an average of 19.7 percent, and the price of 271 food items has decreased by 30-40 percent. According to the Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, Róbert Zsigó, this also proves that traders previously made extra profits on certain products.

No quantitative restrictions expected

According to the authorities, it is not justified for traders to introduce quantitative limits on products with reduced margins, so that customers can freely access regulated-price items. The change could be felt immediately in prices, especially on products that previously came to the shelves with the highest commercial margins.