Massive fines for businesses from the Ministry of Trade: 221 thousand businesses inspected, 210 million TL in fines issued

The Ministry of Trade imposed 210.5 million Turkish Lira in administrative fines on 221,634 businesses within the scope of price tag and list inspections during the January-August period.

In a statement from the Ministry, it was recalled that in order to prevent consumer grievances, the Ministry of Trade has made it mandatory for businesses providing food and beverage services, such as diners, restaurants, cafes, patisseries, and similar establishments, to hang, attach, or place tariff and price lists at the entrance of the workplace and on the tables where service is provided, in a manner that is easily visible and readable by consumers.

The statement noted that in line with the changes, inspections have been intensified across 81 provinces through Provincial Directorates of Trade, and that these inspections verify whether the aforementioned requirement is being met.

The statement also reported that inspection teams are paying maximum attention to checking whether service charges or fees under any other name are being collected, which have been a subject of consumer complaints, and if so, whether these charges are included in the menus.

In this context, the following information was provided regarding the inspections of tariff and price lists for businesses providing food and beverage services:

5,819 BUSINESSES INSPECTED IN ISTANBUL

"Across Turkey, 33,731 violations were detected in inspections conducted at 70,814 workplaces over 8 months, and a total of 73.6 million Turkish Lira in administrative fines were imposed. Within the scope of tariff and price list inspections, 11,674 violations were detected in inspections conducted at 26,227 businesses providing food and beverage services during the June, July, and August period, and 25.7 million Turkish Lira in administrative fines were imposed. During the same period, the highest number of inspections took place in our province of Istanbul, where 5,819 businesses were inspected, and 13.9 million Turkish Lira in administrative fines were imposed for the identified violations."

It was emphasized that as the Ministry of Trade, within the scope of price tag inspections, 85,381 violations were detected in inspections conducted at 150,820 workplaces across Turkey in 8 months, and a total of 136.9 million Turkish Lira in administrative fines were imposed.

48,359 VIOLATIONS DETECTED

Stating that 48,359 violations were detected in inspections conducted at 27,238 workplaces in Istanbul during the same period within the scope of price tag inspections, and that a total of 96.1 million Turkish Lira in administrative fines were imposed, the statement recorded the following:

"In Antalya, which is at the forefront with its tourism revenues, 7,941 violations were detected in inspections conducted at 14,861 workplaces, and a total of 8.1 million Turkish Lira in administrative fines were imposed. As the Ministry of Trade, a total of 221,634 businesses were inspected in our 81-province inspections, and 210.5 million Turkish Lira in administrative fines were imposed for the 119,112 violations detected. As the Ministry of Trade, our inspections will continue uninterrupted in all 81 provinces to prevent potential grievances and protect the economic interests of our consumers against continuous price increases in goods and services offered by restaurants, cafes, and similar businesses that are far above inflation rates and costs, and against situations where consumers are not fully and accurately informed through price lists and tariffs."