Watch out! Fake Chinese honey sold with Hungarian label

After Spain, Hungary has also been affected in the European honey counterfeit case. Based on recent evidence found by the National Hungarian Beekeeping Association, cheap low-quality Chinese honey is offered on the market under an EU or sometimes Hungarian label.

The scandal originally broke out in Spain where several poor-quality Chinese imports are sold as EU and Romanian honey. Now, Hungary is also involved in the European honey counterfeit case.

Cheap, low-quality Chinese honey is also marketed in Hungary under an EU or sometimes Hungarian label.

According to the National Hungarian Beekeeping Association (OMME), the world’s cheapest lowest quality honey products always display a fake origin on their jar. In order to more appeal to commercial chains and consumers, the origin of the unsellable honey is removed and a more ‘sellable’ origin is indicated on the label. In the Hungarian counterfeit case, proof has been recently registered by OMME. They found 100% Chinese honey marketed in Hungary with a label that displayed a Hungarian flag and an “EU countries and non-EU countries” origin. The association has launched investigations into the matter.

As OMME reports, what is the most saddening is that neither advocacies nor the EU or national authorities have started to take actions against the increasingly popular counterfeit activity.

In addition to scamming consumers and market partners, this illegal market practice will destroy the future of EU beekeepers.