Hungary's agriculture minister has ordered an investigation into the quality of food sold in Hungary's supermarkets following reports of poor quality food products on shelves.
Sándor Fazekas, minister of Agriculture, has told food safety authority NÉBIH to conduct an inspection comparing the quality of identically-branded products available at domestic and foreign retail stores to reveal if there are any differences.
According to MTI, the inspection will involve 100 products from all sectors of the food industry and include a comparison of ingredients and sensory tests. The first results of the inspection are expected to be made public by the middle of March.
Last week, János Lázár, the minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office, said that the government must examine the issue of inferior quality products sold by multinationals in Hungary from the point of consumer protection and food safety.
Lázár said he was appalled by a report by NÉBIH comparing 24 sample products sold in Austria and Hungary. The report upheld allegations that the companies are trying to sell “food-industry rubbish” in Hungary, he added.