Seeking to tame public anger over soaring inflation, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has imposed price controls on basic food items sold in supermarkets, renewing his fight against multinational companies.

Economists say the measure may bring short-term relief to consumers, but it provides little help to many in rural areas who live far from bigger towns where large retailers are located.

"Small stores are not affected, only big multinationals, and we don't go there," said retiree Erzsebet Risztics, 68, who lives in Tiszaroff, a village in one of the Central European country's poorest regions.

Risztics, who has diabetes, can also no longer afford low-sugar food items she needs "because they've gotten terribly expensive", and sparse bus services keep her from shopping in surrounding towns.

Another retiree, 80-year-old Erzsebet Forgo, said: "It hurts that the village is left out" of the price controls.

Inflation has roared back in Hungary, reaching 5.7 percent in February, the highest level in the 27-nation European Union. By comparison, consumer prices rose by 2.7 percent on average........

© International Business Times