28.03.2025 09:00
The Ministry of Trade conducted strict inspections on businesses that applied exorbitant prices on various products, especially food items, during the month of Ramadan. As a result of the inspections, administrative fines totaling 200.9 million TL were imposed on 9,926 individuals for unfair and excessive price increases.
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In the inspections conducted during Ramadan, 9,926 individuals were fined a total of 200.9 million TL for unfair and exorbitant price increases.
The Ministry of Trade has increased its inspections before the Ramadan Feast.
In a statement made by the Ministry, it was said:
"As the Ministry of Trade, our inspections continue meticulously against various practices that will disrupt the economic welfare of our citizens before the Ramadan Feast, negatively affect the stable course of the domestic market, and create adverse effects on the balance of supply and demand for our consumers. During the month of Ramadan, 9,926 real and legal persons were fined 200.9 million TL, and in the total of the first 3 months of 2025 (January-March), 27,321 real and legal persons were fined 655.2 million TL.
As the Ministry of Trade, especially before the Feast, during the month of Ramadan, through our Provincial Trade Directorates located in 81 provinces, in our inspections conducted only in March, 46,474 firms were inspected, resulting in 9,525 firms with violations and 46,507 products, leading to a total administrative fine of 134.6 million TL.
In the total inspections conducted by our Provincial Trade Directorates in the first 3 months of 2025, a total of 25,783 real and legal persons were fined a total of 296.4 million TL.
In the first 3 months of 2025, our Provincial Trade Directorates inspected a total of 108,802 firms and 8,922,234 products.
Within the scope of inspections carried out by our General Directorate of Internal Trade, including automotive, stockpiling, real estate, jewelry, and exorbitant price inspections, 9,156 real and legal persons were inspected in March, and an administrative fine of 6.1 million TL was imposed. In total, 850 real and legal persons were fined 160.1 million TL in the first 3 months of 2025.
In the inspections conducted by our General Directorate of Internal Trade in 2025 regarding exorbitant prices, 126.7 million TL; including stockpiling activities in the automotive sector, 228 real and legal persons were inspected, and 3.9 million TL was imposed on those with violations; in jewelry sector inspections, 82 real and legal persons with violations were fined 16.5 million TL; and in inspections conducted in the real estate sector, 46 real and legal persons were fined 4.2 million TL.
Within the scope of inspections carried out by our General Directorate of Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance, regarding contracts, advertisements, and unfair commercial practices that 85 million consumers encounter almost every day in daily life, an administrative fine of 60.1 million TL was imposed between March 1-27, 2025, during Ramadan. Additionally, a total of 198.7 million TL was imposed during the inspections conducted in the first 3 months of 2025.
In the inspections conducted in this context, due to violations in contracts involving prepaid housing sales, subscription agreements, distance sales contracts, installment sales payments, package tours, and timeshare, 95.1 million TL; in inspections conducted by the Advertising Board regarding advertisements and unfair commercial practices, 92.3 million TL; and in market surveillance and inspection activities based on product safety, an administrative fine of 11.3 million TL was imposed.
On the other hand, as a result of the studies conducted by the Competition Authority, in March 2025, 19 firms were fined 602.6 million TL; and in total, 54 firms were fined 4.4 billion TL in the first 3 months of 2025.
Among the inspections in this context, the inspections conducted in the food industry ranked first, with an administrative fine of 2.6 billion TL imposed on the sector in the first 3 months of 2025.
As the Ministry of Trade, we have set as our primary goal to protect the interests of our consumers by combating inflation, unfair price increases, exorbitant price increases, and stockpiling, while also maintaining the balance of the domestic market. In this direction, all material and moral practices foreseen to be implemented as a result of our inspections will be carried out uncompromisingly.
Respectfully submitted to the public.
Details are coming...
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