European companies selling junk products in Eastern Europe

[Deleted]

https://www.euractiv.com/section/hea...ises-eyebrows/

Big companies are selling better food in Austria than they sell in Hungary, even though the brands are supposed to be the same, the Hungarian government said yesterday (16 February).

Hungary’s food safety authority, NEBIH, looked at 24 products sold in both Hungary and Austria by international retailers like Lidl and Aldi. It found, among other things, that the local version of Manner wafers was less crunchy and the domestic Nutella not as mellow as the Austrian counterpart.

“I was dismayed upon reading this brief report,” Janos Lazar, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s chief of staff, told a news conference. “I think this is the biggest scandal of the recent past.”

Lazar said the government would begin a large-scale review of more products available in Hungary. He declined to say what specific action Budapest might take.

Hungary is not alone in its concern. Neighbouring Slovakia’s food quality watchdog said this week it had found differences in taste, look and composition in nearly a dozen products sold locally and in Germany and Austria.

So basically some European companies are selling worse, very likely cheaper, products to the "plebs" in Eastern Euope, despite the products being the very same brand.

This is currently under investigation in Hungary, Slovakia and Romania, and has the potential of erupting into a large scandal. Once again the European UNION is being put to shame as it's clear that some members are more equal than others.

[Wyrt]

Maybe the countries that contribute more get crispier wafers.

[Cairhiin]

This has nothing to do with the EU, but the fact that companies want to make more profit.

[Jalatiphra]

nope, they should get the same quality everyone else gets regardless of the location of their country.

why? because its the right thing to do.

[Sakki]

https://www.euractiv.com/section/hea...ises-eyebrows/



So basically some European companies are selling worse, very likely cheaper, products to the "plebs" in Eastern Euope, despite the products being the very same brand.

This is currently under investigation in Hungary, Slovakia and Romania, and has the potential of erupting into a large scandal. Once again the European UNION is being put to shame as it's clear that some members are more equal than others.

First of all, it is not something new and it is known for years. Those stuff doesnt even cost less, it usually costs same or more than foreign version. Real reason is that ppl buy it and dont demand change so why not sell them that.

How does EU has anything to do with it? In fact, without EU, they would have no chance to ever change that (with political power).

[Cairhiin]

nope, they should get the same quality everyone else gets regardless of the location of their country.

why? because its the right thing to do.

The problem is, in Holland people pay 2-3x the price, people pay in Hungary for the same product. It is easy to see why companies cut corners in less profitable markets.

[Svad]

Maybe an Independent agency should test the items in question, everything having anything to do with Orban's goverment, is "shady" at best.
Likewise with Slovakia and Romania, they hate the EU so much, that their citicens travel to Northern Europe an 1. They go on a robbing spree or 2. They take jobs that should have gone to the actual citicens of said country

Welcome to the EU Mordago!

edit. Lots of sarcasm!

[Shadowmelded]

It's got nothing to do with the EU. It's companies doing what they think they can get away with. Don't be an idiot. If anything this is something the EU can fix by enforcing common standards Union-wide. It'll be difficult however since some countries just prefer different flavours/quantities of additives etc...

[Grimbold21]

You better hope Cybran doesn't see this thread

[Yunru]

It also depends on a store where are you buying. My example here:

Mercator: Kit kat, bad taste, very expensive, unknown from where its shipped
Muller: Kit kat, very good taste, very cheap, shipped from germany

Also premium food scam. I hate those.

[shrunken]

Truly a Eurotopia

[Holofernes]

former communist countries have lower quality in food production than western countries. People in east europe are used to eat low quality stuff, and stuff is often produced locally with communist mindset workers.
As the article says, Milka choclate is the same all over the testet areas. why? its all produced in the same plants in germany and austria, the package / nutrition /ingredient information is in 10 or so languages.

Nutella is produced in some contract factories in the country it is beein sold, and the package is only in one language. U can just check the package info to see for which countries a product is produced.

[lonely zergling]

Thats because you pay far less than west europeans and companies change their products to fit the different tastes of the market they operate. If you dont like the food dont buy it or pay more for the real version.

Just because the brand is the same doesnt mean the product is 100% the same. You can read what is inside the product and decide if you want to buy it.

[zorkuus]

If you want better quality products then you must be prepared to pay a higher price, like people do in the western or northern europe.

[Sakki]

If you want better quality products then you must be prepared to pay a higher price, like people do in the western or northern europe.

I have no problem to pay same price for same food as ppl in Germany or Austria, because in the end, i would end up paying equal money for more quality products. Food in supermarkets is not really more expensive there than it is here.

[zorkuus]

I have no problem to pay same prize for same food as ppl in Germany or Austria, because in the end, i would end up paying equal money for more quality products.

I imagine many east europeans would have a problem with it because their food would suddenly cost a lot more.

[Acidbaron]

Without the EU the problem would be worse and the companies couldn't be held accountable.

Not that anyone from the anti-eu camp knows this, too busy being mad at random things.

[Azadina]

I imagine many east europeans would have a problem with it because their food would suddenly cost a lot more.

The crying would never end if they were announced 300-500% blanket increase to prices. Nor could they afford it.

[zorkuus]

The crying would never end if they were announced 300-500% blanket increase to prices. Nor could they afford it.

What? Better food costs more?! It's an EU conspiracy, that can be the only reason!!!

[Deleted]

People from different countries have a different taste, and it would be foolish to send the same product everywhere.

This isn't new: the same Coca Cola bottle will have a different composition in France than it does in India, and Coke Co is doing that since decades.

In some countries the consumers are REALLY obsessed with some ingredients: in Spain any OGM will have an hard time, in Italy Palm Oil is under fire now, and you won't sell any ounce of horse meat in Ireland or the UK.

Can't blame then these companies to differentiate the product, while keeping the label (and branding) they spent so much for.