The Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) has penalized the operator of the popular Allegro online store for engaging in unfair commercial practices. The Competition Council imposed a fine of HUF 42.5 million, equivalent to roughly €120,000, after determining that the Polish e-commerce giant withheld crucial information about its customer promotion policies. By omitting key limitations of its high-profile “lowest price guarantee,” the platform guided users into making purchasing decisions they likely would have avoided had the full terms been transparent.
Hidden Terms Behind the Slogan
The regulatory investigation began in early 2025, auditing Allegro’s promotional activities conducted between late 2024 and early 2025. During this window, the platform heavily marketed a price guarantee system, promising consumers that they could secure market-low prices on available goods. If a customer located an identical item listed cheaper elsewhere, Allegro pledged to compensate them by distributing a coupon worth 150% of the price difference.
However, the GVH uncovered that the enforceability of this guarantee was severely restricted by stipulations that were either entirely withheld or communicated too late to the buyer. For instance, the price guarantee only applied to comparisons against a select group of 20 online stores. Furthermore, the guaranteed coupon refunds were exclusively valid for orders completed by registered users who were actively logged into their profiles at the time of purchase. To compound these restrictions, the resulting promotional coupons could not be applied to any cash-on-delivery transactions.
The GVH concluded that Allegro strategically used the promise of a price guarantee to disincentivize consumers from shopping around or independently comparing prices online. By assuring shoppers that they would simply be compensated with a coupon in a worst-case scenario, the marketing campaign distorted normal consumer mobility while simultaneously hiding the restrictive terms required to actually claim the benefit.
Strict Compliance and Market Oversight
Allegro cooperated fully with the Hungarian regulator throughout the legal proceedings, electing not to dispute the factual findings and waiving its right to a formal appeal. In addition to paying the HUF 42.5 million (€120,000) penalty, the online retailer has committed to developing and running an internal corporate compliance program. This framework must remain operational for a minimum of three years, after which the GVH will initiate a follow-up investigation to verify its systemic efficacy.
This action signals a sustained, aggressive crackdown by Hungarian authorities on digital marketplaces. E-commerce giants have faced intense regulatory pressure over consumer transparency in recent years. The GVH recently concluded separate investigations into online fashion retailers Answear and About You, with the latter forced to pay more than 1 billion forints in fines and consumer compensation following its respective proceedings. The authority has reiterated that it will continue to actively monitor digital storefronts to protect local consumers from misleading retail practices.
