Soaring energy prices resulting from the growing tension in trade between Russia and Europe have posed serious challenges in EU countries, Századvég said, citing data from its Europe-wide survey conducted from Oct. 13 to Dec. 7 as well as Eurostat figures.

Countries have implemented various measures to prevent a price explosion in retail tariffs but their effectiveness varies greatly, it added.

According to Századvég, Hungary’s price-cap scheme, involving centrally regulated tariffs, offers the greatest protection to consumers. The company’s survey dubbed Europe Project showed that 26% of Europeans, or over 100 million people, were unable to properly heat their homes.

The most difficult situation was reported in Greece where 56% of respondents said they were unable to heat properly their homes, followed by Portugal and France, with 34% in both countries stating the same, Századvég said.

The least affected countries were Finland with 10%, Hungary with 14% and Austria and Denmark, both 14%, it added.

Every fourth respondent in the European survey said that at least once in the past year they had been unable to pay their bills in time due to financial problems.

The situation was the most serious in Greece, with 51% of the public affected, followed by Cyprus (37%), and Ireland and Bulgaria (35% in both countries), Századvég said.

The lowest figures were 14% reported in Austria, 16% in the Czech Republic and 18% in Hungary, it added.