No "Spicy Special"

Fight against deceptive packaging largely without consequences

In the fall, the Ministry of Economic Affairs announced strict inspections.(Bild: Denys Kurbatov - stock.adobe.com)

The “Operation Sharp” campaign against suspected deceptive packaging in the food retail sector was announced with great fanfare last fall. The results, however, read like a “walk in the park”—at least for the Greens. Despite numerous violations, penalties were imposed in only four out of nine federal states. 

These were ambitious plans that the Ministry of Economy was still pursuing as recently as September. ÖVP Minister Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer declared war on so-called “shrinkflation” (i.e., hidden price increases)—and announced a “crackdown” on the food retail sector. But more than six months later, the bottom line of the campaign is, at least for the Greens, rather “soft.”

As a response to an inquiry from Green Party National Council member Nina Tomaselli shows, deficiencies in price labeling were recorded in 42 percent of all inspections on average across Austria.

Action was taken in Vienna
A closer look at the details of the hidden price tags reveals something noteworthy: Although the food retail sector is known to be organized on a national level and inspections were conducted everywhere, violations were reported and penalized in only four states (specifically Vienna, Lower Austria, Burgenland, and Carinthia).

In the fall, the Ministry of Economic Affairs announced strict inspections.(Bild: Denys Kurbatov - stock.adobe.com)

The federal capital is well above average—in more ways than one. In Vienna, deficiencies were found in 62 percent of all inspections. Yet while the Viennese authorities are taking consistent action and imposing 84 percent of all administrative penalties nationwide, the other states take a more lenient approach—here, only seven percent of cases are reported.

“Further Awareness-Raising”
In its response to the inquiry, the Ministry of Economic Affairs also attributes this to raising awareness: “The aim of the increased inspections was to strengthen awareness of compliance with price labeling regulations, particularly the rules regarding the display of base prices and the correct labeling of discounts in the food retail sector.” The results of the inspections have shown that further awareness-raising among retailers regarding the importance of complying with price labeling regulations—and in particular the regulations on base price labeling and the labeling of discounts—is necessary, which is why inspections by the regulatory authorities and the utilization of advisory services to address potential shortcomings are essential.”

Nina Tomaselli(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

The Greens see this as, in a sense, the next political sham: “Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer continues to turn a blind eye to the food retail sector, which seeks to deceive consumers. He tolerates their violations of the law and talks about ‘advising instead of punishing.’ Ordinary citizens do not receive such special treatment,” Tomaselli explains to the “Krone.”