Turkey's Trade Minister announces 8.8 billion TL in consumer protection fines

During the 29th Traditional Consumer Awards ceremony in Ankara, Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat announced that administrative fines exceeding 8.8 billion Turkish Liras have been imposed since June 2023 to protect consumer rights. The Minister emphasized a zero-tolerance policy regarding unsafe products, particularly in categories such as toys, footwear, textiles, stationery, childcare products, cosmetics, and detergents.

Bolat reported significant progress in product safety, noting that the rate of unsafe products has dropped from 32 percent in 2011 to 1 percent. He also highlighted the efficiency of Consumer Arbitration Committees, which have resolved over 784,000 disputes totaling approximately 14 billion TL, thereby reducing the workload of the judiciary.

The ceremony also recognized individuals and organizations contributing to consumer awareness. Kemal Diri, an economy reporter for İhlas News Agency (İHA), received the Special Consumer Award for his contributions to the field.