The GVH and the NKFH checked the price display practices of online stores in a European investigation

By: Trademagazin Date: 2026. 03. 26. 11:45

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The joint investigation (sweep) of European consumer protection authorities examined the price display practices of online stores at the end of 2025. According to the results, at least 30 percent of the 314 retailers inspected used misleading price displays. In Hungary, misleading promotional practices were identified at two of the ten online retailers examined – the Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH), which is participating in the program, informed MTI on Thursday.

The joint investigation of the European Commission and the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network (CPC) of the Member States’ authorities involved consumer protection authorities from 25 countries, with Hungary represented by the GVH and the National Trade and Consumer Protection Authority.

During the investigations, special attention was paid to the promotions used during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday periods.

According to the results of the European sweep, the In addition to misleading promotions, more than a third of retailers used opaque price comparisons, about a fifth of them put pressure on consumers with urgent messages, and one in ten retailers engaged in trickle pricing, when the full price of a product or service is revealed gradually during the purchase and is not displayed all at once.

In Hungary, the audit included ten popular online stores, and price changes for certain products were monitored throughout the entire sweep. Among other things, retailers failed to indicate the previous lowest price, and in some cases, although they indicated the lowest price, it was not the actual lowest price of the previous 30 days. In the case of one retailer, the sale announced on the website restarted immediately after the originally announced closing date.

Hungarian regulations have contained stricter requirements since May 28, 2022: retailers must display the lowest price of at least 30 days preceding the sale, as well as the discount compared to it – they informed.

The announcement points out that sweeps do not qualify as official procedures, therefore they do not establish proven violations, but the participating authorities may investigate cases within their own jurisdiction. Thus, the NKFH, in cooperation with the competent government office, has already taken steps to initiate the necessary procedures – the GVH informed.