Turkey's DOA Deposit Return System Launch Sparks Price Concerns

On 27 April the Turkish Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change activated the Deposit‑Return System for packaging (DOA) in all 81 provinces. Minister Murat Kurum announced that on its first day the system recorded 649 240 users and collected 1 547 850 beverage containers—approximately 1.5 million items—through DOA‑labelled machines.

A social‑media post from a citizen claimed that the new system caused the price of a 1‑litre water bottle to rise from 5.75 TL to 7.25 TL, suggesting the deposit fee is being passed on to shoppers. The user urged the Ministry of Trade to intervene, sparking a public discussion about the programme’s effect on consumer prices.