Another investigation launched against Booking.com in Hungary
According to GVH's announcement on Wednesday, the Dutch-based leading accommodation booking platform is suspected of providing information that violates professional diligence requirements regarding service fees and
misleading consumers about discounts available in its Genius programme.
Additionally, the authority states that some Booking.com services are available at different prices depending on the device used - such as mobile application or desktop computer - despite the service content remaining unchanged.
The company has likely been misleading Hungarian consumers since 1 January 2022, inducing them to make transaction decisions they might not otherwise make, potentially resulting in additional costs for them.
This is not the first time Booking.com has faced scrutiny from GVH. In 2020, the competition authority fined the company HUF 2.5 billion for misleading sales practices, followed by an additional follow-up fine of HUF 382.5 million in 2024 for failing to properly fulfil its commitments from the previous procedure and, in some cases, continuing the original infringing practices.
In summer 2023, the GVH conducted an accelerated sector inquiry into the online accommodation intermediary and accommodation market following numerous market feedback. The report recommended, among other things, the elimination of rate parity contractual conditions, which Booking.com has withdrawn from 1 July 2024.
Cover photo (for illustration purposes only): Getty Images
