29.12.2025 13:30
The President of the Turkish Bakers Federation, Halil İbrahim Balcı, stated, "The price of bread per kilogram will not exceed 75 TL until August 2026. We do not plan to raise prices."
Halil İbrahim Balcı, President of the Turkish Bakers Federation, reminded that a change was made to Article 62 of the Law on Tradesmen and Craftsmen Professional Organizations with the law accepted in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) during a press conference held at the Federation General Center.
Balcı explained that with the decision, a requirement was introduced for the prices prepared by the unions and approved after the opinion of the Ministry of Commerce to be approved by the unions after the Ministry's opinion. "In other words, the prices of simit and bread that receive the Ministry's opinion in the provinces will be submitted by the union and will come into effect after the positive opinion of the Ministry of Commerce," he said.
Balcı stated that they have been working jointly with the Ministry of Commerce in determining the bread price until today and expressed that they requested the price of flour for bread to be determined by law.
"A REASONABLE PRICE WILL BE DETERMINED AFTER MEETINGS"
Balcı noted that with the support provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in 2023 for flour prices, the price of bread increased by 17.5% within a year, and in 2024, the increase was limited to 25%. He recorded the following:
"In the last 6 months of last year, due to the lack of change in the price of bread until January, we see that this price increase in 2025 will occur at 25%. The average comes to 30%, and if we consider 2024 and 2025, the annual average comes to 37.5%. With the increase in the minimum wage, our employees will have a wage increase, and while the price of bread, which is 75 lira per kilogram nationwide in the 8th month, is determined, even though the flour price has reached the band of 950 lira-1000 lira, we do not plan to make a change regarding bread, which is a staple food for our people, to enter 2026 with good news.
In other words, as of today, the kilogram price applied nationwide will not exceed 75 lira from the 8th month onwards. Our provinces that have not reflected the difference in price for 4 months and are below 75 lira can reflect this. For example, in İzmir, Bursa, Ankara, Istanbul, Kocaeli, Sakarya, the price applied in many provinces will continue as the same 75 lira."
Balcı stated that despite the significant increase in inputs, there will be no price change in bread, and a reasonable price will be determined and announced later after joint discussions with the Ministry of Commerce.
Pointing out that one of the biggest problems in the sector is bread waste, Balcı emphasized that 6 million 100 thousand loaves of bread are wasted daily, which also affects the earnings of bakers.
Balcı stressed that chain markets should also carry out the necessary work regarding bread returns, otherwise, sanctions related to this will be inevitable. Stating that their priority is to produce bread in a hygienic and healthy environment, Balcı said that underground production should not be allowed.
Balcı also addressed the staff shortage in the sector, stating that they have difficulty finding staff because bakeries operate 24/7.
Balcı expressed that they will bring up the issue of bakeries being closed on Sundays, explaining that this would not cause any inconvenience to citizens.
"TRADESPEOPLE SHOULD NOT APPLY PRICES OUTSIDE THE TARIFF"
Balcı stated that no one should attempt to apply a price outside the tariff, recording the following:
"We have done and will continue to do whatever is necessary for our tradespeople to stand on their feet. Since bread is a staple food for bakers, we have loaded as much burden as they can carry when determining the price of bread. But no one should try to load a burden that our tradespeople cannot bear. My request is that the sensitivity we show should also be observed by our stakeholders, the flour factories and yeast factories. No tradesperson should apply prices outside the tariff. Therefore, our small tradespeople should not face a penalty of at least 159 thousand lira."