New regulation mandates visible price lists in restaurants, cafes

ANKARA

The Trade Ministry has introduced a new regulation requiring restaurants, cafes and patisseries to prominently display price lists both at their entrance doors and on tables starting from the beginning of the new year.

The directive, published in the Official Gazette on Dec. 19, extends to all establishments offering food and beverage services, necessitating the placement of documents, signs and boards detailing tariffs and price lists. The decision follows concerns over rising prices and inconsistent pricing practices in the sector.

Currently, many establishments rely on traditional menus or digital alternatives, such as QR code-accessible ones, to convey product prices. Notably, the absence of prices on some menus also prompted the ministry's intervention. The new regulation seeks to empower consumers by allowing them to review prices displayed at the entrance before making dining decisions.

Inspired by systems implemented in certain European countries, the initiative aims to facilitate communication, particularly for foreign tourists visiting the country. It is anticipated that the measure will curb exploitative pricing strategies often observed during peak tourist seasons, taking advantage of the high influx of visitors and favorable foreign exchange rates.

In a written statement on Dec. 19, the ministry asserts that the regulation aligns with the law on consumer protection and the price label regulation, emphasizing its role in "protecting economic interests" and ensuring consumers are "informed accurately and completely." The move comes in response to growing complaints from consumers about escalating prices in the sector, surpassing inflation rates and operational costs.

"Recently, we have been receiving many complaints from our consumers that the prices of goods and services offered by eatinghouses, restaurants, cafes and similar businesses have been constantly increasing, far above the inflation rate and costs," read the statement.

Before implementing the regulation, it added, the ministry sought input from relevant professional organizations representing the sector. The also approach includes rigorous inspections, with the latest figures revealing 65,375 companies inspected in the first 11 months of the year.

Administrative fines totaling 37.02 million Turkish Liras ($1.27 million) were imposed on 20,209 companies found in violation of regulations, officials said, noting that inspections focusing on price tags, tariffs and price lists will continue into the new year.