Komárom és Vidéke ÁFÉSZ, képeslap.

Postcard of Komárom and Surroundings ÁFÉSZ in 1977. The ÁFÉSZ (full name: General Consumption and Sales Cooperative) is a system of state-owned economic groups operating domestic retail, agricultural purchasing, and supply chains, as well as other services, which has been widespread in Hungary in the Kádár era since 1968, mainly cooperatives operating rural grocery stores and small shops. Territorially and locally, there were several ÁFÉSZs, but hairdressers, confectioners, shoemakers, etc. were grouped into cooperatives, too. In addition, several ÁFÉSZs became involved in industrial production. In its heyday, in the 1980s, a third of the retail and service sector took place within the framework of ÁFÉSZs. During the economic transformation following the change of regime, some of the 260 ÁFÉSZs continued to operate in the form of privatized cooperatives.