Nearly 22,000 businesses fined for violating price display rule

ANKARA

Some 21,659 businesses have been fined a total of 47 million Turkish Liras ($1.44 million) for failing to comply with the regulation that mandates the visible display of price lists at the entrances and tables of restaurants, cafes and bakeries.

The government introduced the regulation at the start of 2024.

The Trade Ministry noted in a statement that the rule aims at protecting the interest of consumers and providing consumers with accurate information.

The ministry noted that the regulation was introduced due to price differences among businesses serving in the food and beverage sector and the constant changes in the tariffs and price lists of these businesses, which caused a burden on the part of consumers.

After the introduction of the rule, officials have inspected nearly 115,000 businesses to see if they comply with the price disp2lay regulation, the ministry said.

During those checks, officials found that 21,659 businesses violated the regulation and were slapped with fines amounting to 47 million liras, it added.

Most of the businesses in the sector are complying with the regulation, the ministry said, noting that consumers’ trust in businesses has increased due to the transparency this regulation created.

In Istanbul, the cost of eating out inched up 0.1 percent month-on-month in June, while the annual increase eased from 102 percent to 97.2 percent, data from the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO) showed earlier this month.

Restaurant and hotel prices across Türkiye rose by 3.1 percent monthly, bringing the annual increase to 90.67 percent last month, according to the latest official inflation data.

Inflated prices sparked nationwide restaurant boycott calls in late April this year with mixed reactions from consumers.

Social media users initiated the boycott to express their discontent with rising prices.