Turkey Ministry of Trade implements new discount advertising rules

The Turkish Ministry of Trade has implemented new regulations regarding discount advertisements to ensure price transparency and protect consumers from deceptive marketing. Effective as of August 1, the updated ‘Regulation on Commercial Advertising and Unfair Commercial Practices’ mandates that the lowest price applied during the 10 days immediately preceding a sale must be used as the reference price for the discount.

This measure is designed to prevent ‘artificial price hikes,’ where businesses temporarily increase prices to make subsequent discounts appear larger than they actually are. Exceptions to the 10-day rule apply to perishable goods, such as fruits and vegetables, and the service sector, where the price immediately preceding the discount may be used.

The new rules also cover conditional sales advertisements, where benefits are tied to specific requirements, ensuring these terms are clear and not misleading. The scope of oversight extends beyond traditional media to include digital platforms, targeted advertising, influencer marketing, and AI-generated content.

Violations, such as providing false discount rates, hiding campaign terms, or misrepresenting stock information, can result in significant penalties. The Advertising Board is authorized to issue administrative fines ranging from approximately 108,370 TL to nearly 40 million TL, as well as orders to halt the offending advertisements.