Budapest, January 23, 2026 — The Hungarian GVH has launched a fast-track sector inquiry into the sunflower cooking oil market after finding that cooking oil prices in Hungary have risen more sharply than in neighbouring countries, despite margin controls.
The authority said it suspects sector-specific market features may have contributed to higher price levels in Hungary. The GVH is working closely with the Hungarian central bank (MNB) as part of a renewed cooperation framework aimed at lowering inflation and maintaining fair market conditions.
Price Spike Concerns
According to the GVH, Hungary’s overall consumer price level stands at 69% of the EU average, yet food prices are only 4.9% below the EU level, making food notably more expensive relative to Hungary’s broader price environment.
Within food categories, the highest price levels were seen in oils and fats, including cooking oil. The GVH cited Eurostat data showing Hungary’s price level for this category is nearly 10% above the EU average and 16% above the regional average.
Regional Comparison
The GVH and MNB experts found that from December 2024 to autumn 2025, Hungary’s consumer price for cooking oil increased 15.8% in Euro terms, compared with an average increase of 9.7% across the other three Visegrád countries over the same period.
The authority said this widening gap suggests a need to assess whether market factors across the value chain contributed to deviations from regional averages and European exchange-traded benchmark prices.
Inquiry Scope and Timeline
The fast-track sector inquiry is designed to map market issues where there are signs of distorted or restricted competition and where urgent intervention may be warranted. The GVH will collect and analyse mandatory information from market players and publish a public report after completing its analysis.
The GVH said it has one month to prepare the report once data collection is completed, with the possibility of extending the deadline twice by one month each if justified.
The inquiry will also draw on historical data from the GVH’s online price monitoring tool, which tracks daily price changes across 140 product categories and more than 5,000 food and household products.
