Na lidmaatschap EU is boter nauwelijks meer te vinden in Slowaakse supermarkten (en)

For the Slovaks, joining the EU has caused an unforeseen reminder of communist times: a shortage of butter.

German press agency DPA reports that for a few days now, consumers can hardly find any butter in their supermarkets.

According to traders in dairy products on Thursday (9 July), the dismantling of trade barriers after EU accession has meant that Slovak dairy producers export almost all of their products to neighbouring countries - where they can get much higher prices.

Several big Slovak supermarkets have fully suspended the selling of butter and have replaced it with margarine.

In other stores, butter is generally sold out before midday.

Consumers complain that "not even in communist times was there such a shortage", according to Austrian paper Die Presse.

EU butter market in upheaval

A recovery in the provision of butter in Slovakia is not expected before consumer prices rise by up to 25%, traders say.

Currently, 250 grams of butter cost less than one euro in Slovakia.

However, the Hungarians seem to be profiting from the Slovak producers' entrepreneurship.

Die Presse reports that in Hungary butter prices have dropped by one third after enlargement - because of imports from Slovakia.

For the Hungarians, butter imports from Slovakia have compensated for shortages in their country, as Hungarian producers have preferred the Italian market since EU enlargement.