The GVH provides consumers with informational resources for pre-Christmas shopping
Budapest, October 28, 2025 – As Black Friday approaches, consumers are faced with an influx of advertisements promising substantial discounts. As in previous years, the Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) is helping consumers make informed purchasing decisions and avoid misleading seasonal promotions by offering informative videos and practical guidance.
This year, Black Friday falls on November 28. The discounts offered in the lead-up to Christmas can provide financial relief for many consumers. However, these promotions – common across both online platforms and physical stores – deliver genuine benefits only when businesses comply with fair commercial practices.
The GVH’s experience indicates that, in the weeks preceding Black Friday, retailers frequently employ tactics to exploit heightened consumer demand. Common practices include advertising discounts ”up to 80-90%,” which apply to limited products or unavailable items; using “bait” promotions for products with intentionally low inventory; or deploying urgency-inducing messages to exert psychological pressure on purchasers.
In line with previous efforts, the GVH launches a consumer awareness campaign ahead of Black Friday. Through a series of videos disseminated on social media and video-sharing platforms, the GVH assists Hungarian consumers in making informed purchasing decisions that are, where feasible, environmentally sustainable.
The GVH recommends that consumers verify the following key details prior purchasing a discounted product:
- Above all, reflect deliberately on the necessity of the item and, if possible, refrain from impulsive purchases.
- Assess whether the discounted price really constitutes a true bargain, accounting for additional costs such as delivery fees. Review the precise terms and conditions of the promotion.
- Utilize price comparison websites and applications. You may be able to obtain the product elsewhere at a lower price. Note that listings may feature paid advertisements, which are not invariably the most advantageous offers.
- Evaluate customer satisfaction with the online retailer. Uniform five-star reviews warrant caution, as they may be artificially generated.
- Check whether the store has customer service and contact details. The absence of these should always be suspicious.
- Take enough time to review the most important parts of the General Terms and Conditions (GTC).
- Recognize that, for online purchases, buyers generally enjoy a 14-day right of withdrawal upon product receipt, subject to limited exceptions, without need for justification.
Beyond consumer protection, the GVH aids businesses in averting legal infractions by offering detailed instructional videos to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements for promotional pricing.
As in previous years, the GVH vigilantly monitors price display practices of online stores and, if it suspects any violations, it will take the necessary measures and, where justified, launch an investigation.
Stakeholders may report retailer practices to the national competition authority concerning matters within its jurisdiction – namely, those with potential to materially distort market competition. Detailed guidance on when and under what circumstances to contact the competition authority, along with information on alternative bodies for other consumer complaints, is available on the GVH’s website.
GVH Press
Further information:
Bálint Horváth, Head of Communication +36 20 238 6939