Budapest, February 14, 2025 – The Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) imposed a fine exceeding HUF 35 million on Foodora’s operator for misleading consumers. During an autumn 2023 promotion, the company promised a HUF 2,000 discount and free delivery without disclosing that these applied only to orders over HUF 6,000. The company also delayed the proceeding of the GVH, resulting in an additional HUF 20 million procedural fine, which has already been paid. The national competition authority closely monitors food delivery companies’ commercial practices.
In December 2023, the Hungarian Competition Authority launched a competition supervision proceeding against Delivery Hero Hungary Kft., owner and operator of Foodora, one of Hungary’s largest online food ordering platforms.
During the period from 4 September to 31 October 2023, the company promoted a coupon offering customers a HUF 2,000 discount and free delivery. However, the GVH noticed that it failed to provide sufficient information indicating that the coupon applied only to orders exceeding HUF 6,000. The GVH also examined whether the undertaking adequately disclosed details regarding its system usage fee.
The GVH’s suspicions were substantiated. The proceedings confirmed that Foodora failed to disclose in its autumn 2023 coupon campaign that the HUF 2,000 discount and free delivery applied exclusively to orders exceeding HUF 6,000, constituting unfair commercial practices. Additionally, between 14 and 20 June 2024, the company inadequately informed consumers about the system usage fee. Accordingly, the Competition Council of the GVH imposed a total fine of HUF 35,2 million, considering the scale of the investigated advertising campaign.
During the proceedings, the company subsequently revised data on the investigated advertising campaign’s costs, causing undue delay. Consequently, the Competition Council of the GVH imposed an additional HUF 20 million procedural fine, which the company acknowledged and paid into the central budget. This underscores for all undertakings subject to GVH proceedings the obligation to fulfill data reporting duties accurately and within deadlines.
The Hungarian Competition Authority pays particular attention to the commercial activities of food delivery companies and has previously conducted a sectoral investigation in this area, on the basis of which it has made recommendations to consumers and businesses. In relation to this specific case, the GVH draws attention to the fact that if an undertaking promises a price discount and its validity is subject to certain conditions, this must be clearly communicated to consumers at the same time as the discount is advertised.
The official registration number of the case is VJ/31/2023.
GVH Press
Further information:
Bálint Horváth, Head of Communication +36 20 238 6939