16 March 2021, Budapest – World Consumer Rights Day was held on 15 March. The Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) has been working to protect the rights of consumers and its latest objectives overlap with protecting the interests of the Hungarian people.
World Consumer Rights Day has been celebrated on 15 March every year since 1983. World Consumer Rights Day is associated with a historic piece of legislation passed by US President John F. Kennedy on 15 March 1962, the aim of which was to shape attitudes toward consumer rights and needs.
The GVH has been acting against misleading practices ever since its foundation that is for more than 30 years, the regulatory framework of which has been harmonised at European Community level. Recently, the GVH has focused primarily on the unfair commercial practices related to the digital and data-driven economy but it has been paying special attention to protecting the rights of vulnerable consumers as well, such as children, the elderly, and the ill.
“Yesterday, on 15 March, we commemorated the day of Hungarian independence. Today, on the 16th, we have work to do once again. Every single action of the GVH serves the interests of the Hungarian consumers. Initiatives such as World Consumer Rights Day provide an opportunity to shape consumer attitudes. Supporting conscious decision-making by consumers is one of the pillars of our activities since it contributes to the fairness of the markets and the elimination of unfair commercial practices just as much as individual interventions do” – said Csaba Balázs RIGÓ, President of the Hungarian Competition Authority.
This year, World Consumer Rights Day was also chosen by the largest international umbrella network of the sector, ICPEN (International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network), as the launch day of its new campaign. The themed month of the organisation, which brings together the authorities of 65 countries, began yesterday and focuses on the so-called green claims. The GVH was also quick to recognise the globally growing phenomenon of misleading advertisements that take advantage of environmentally conscious consumers: the Authority has already warned consumers of such advertisements in the past and published its so-called ‘Green Marketing’ Notice in December last year, which assists undertakings in developing appropriate advertising practices.
GVH Press Office