Turkey regulates meal card sector and addresses restaurant cost crisis

Turkey's Ministry of Trade has launched an investigation into six major companies in the meal card sector to address high commission rates and hidden fees. Trade Minister Ömer Bolat announced that commission rates for these providers are now capped at a maximum of 6 percent. Additionally, the ministry has banned various extra charges previously levied on merchants, such as fees for technical support, maintenance, equipment rental, and deposits.

Regarding online food delivery platforms, Minister Bolat noted that the ministry will not implement a uniform commission cap for all digital marketplaces. He explained that different platforms have varying cost structures, including logistics and service scope, and a single cap could interfere with market pricing and service delivery.

Separately, the restaurant industry in Turkey is facing significant economic pressure. Ebru Koralı, head of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce's Restaurant and Food-Beverage Services Committee, stated that rising costs for energy, rent, personnel, and food are eroding profitability. Despite ongoing tourism activity, the nominal increase in tourism revenue has not been sufficient to offset these rising operational expenses, particularly impacting small and medium-sized enterprises.