From the first of March, customers in larger stores must be informed if the packaging of a prepackaged product has changed. Although many manufacturers apparently did not raise prices, they reduced the quantity of the product, so there was a covert price increase.
Food manufacturers are trying to get more profit by reducing the quantity.
"The products for which this change is most typical are dairy products, yogurts, cold meats: the content of these products has decreased by 20-30 percent, and some of them even decreased by 40 percent"
said an ABC business manager.
The seller of a store in Zalaegerszeg said that it has been observed for a long time that certain products are available in smaller quantities.
"In the case of chips, peanuts, dairy products, cheese, chemical goods and sliced products, for example, the gram is less, but it costs more money, it is worth paying attention to that"
he said.
Inflation has dropped from nearly 26 percent to 3.8 percent in one year, people are buying more and more, but many manufacturers are still playing tricks in order to make more profit.
Due to the deception of customers, a new regulation will come into effect from Friday, which applies to chain stores with a turnover of over one billion forints.
Customers will receive information in the stores to draw their attention to the fact that the packaging quantity of certain products has decreased, while the goods have remained, or even increased, as the case may be. This information must be placed next to the products, so customers will know exactly which product has a smaller package.
At one of the largest grocery chains, they are preparing to apply the information to hundreds of products.
"This is a disguised price increase, since if the consumer price does not change, but the quantity of the products decreases, then we clearly get fewer products for the same money, so this is a price increase. We are sure that as a result of this step, manufacturers will think much more about using this tool" -
said Attila Fodor, CBA's communications director.
Manufacturers can announce on the website of the National Food Chain Safety Office for which products the reduced packaging has been applied, and customers will also be able to find out about the affected products on this page.
Featured image: Zsolt Szigetváry | Source: MTI/MTVA
