Cost of relief items hiked by some companies

KAHRAMANMARAŞ

Some companies have increased the prices of urgently needed items for the earthquake-affected zone, as the cost of some products has soared more than 100 percent.

While there were price increases in the urgently needed items following the deadly earthquakes that rocked the country’s south, the prices of whistles and battery-free flashlights have also increased over 100 percent in the last week on the sites, according to the comparative price analysis carried out on the online sales platforms.

The price of a four-person tent was 2,630 Turkish Liras on Feb. 7, whereas it is offered for sale at 3,347 liras as of yesterday.

Sleeping bags, power banks and batteries, which are among the most needed products in the earthquake-affected zone, are among the products on which the exorbitant price increase is applied.

People who wanted to buy follow-up milk for babies, fleece blankets and heaters to send to the earthquake zone also faced the same price increase.

The Trade Ministry announced that it initiated an audit regarding these price increases.

“Our ministry has initiated inspections across the country in response to the allegations of exorbitant price increases in emergency supplies,” it said.

“No citizen should have any doubt that our ministry will impose the heaviest administrative sanctions against those who engage in such self-seeking acts,” it added.

The Treasury and Finance Ministry also stated that “necessary sanctions will be applied to those who are found to be responsible for unfair price increases in this dire period when our country is struggling with the earthquake, and every abuse will be punished.”