Turkey's bakeries tackle rising costs and waste with new flour‑to‑bread scheme and price hikes

In the central Turkish city of Konya, a "bring your flour, take your bread" program has gained popularity. Customers deliver their own flour to local bakeries, which then bake additive‑free loaves that are cheaper—about 7 TL for a 400‑gram loaf—and have a longer shelf life, helping to reduce bread waste.

Meanwhile, in the eastern city of Erzincan, officials have introduced a new tariff that reduces the standard loaf size from 220 grams to 210 grams while raising its price to 17.5 TL. Bakeries say the changes are needed to offset higher costs for flour, yeast, electricity, natural gas and labour.

Both developments illustrate how Turkish bakers are adapting to rising production expenses and growing consumer concern over quality and waste.