Has the use of meal cards in grocery stores been discontinued? An official statement has been made!

A statement has been released by Öner Piyade, President of the Meal Cards Association, regarding developments concerning the imposition of restrictions on the usage areas of meal cards. Piyade pointed out that with the latest regulation by the Social Security Institution (SGK), premium payments on meal cards have been removed, and stated that there is no restriction whatsoever on their use in restaurants, patisseries, buffets, grocery stores, cafes, and similar locations.

Piyade used the following expression: "In accordance with Article 80, Paragraph B of Law No. 5510, the SGK has declared through a regulation and subsequent circular that meal cards are considered in-kind assistance and will be exempt from premiums."

Piyade assessed the situation as follows: "The SGK has transitioned to a practice that is in favor of both employees and employers regarding meal cards, fully exempting them from premiums, similar to the practice that was in effect before 2022. As clearly stated in Article 2.1.4 of the circular published on December 31, 2024, the phrase 'in cash or in a way that replaces cash' indicates that they can be used for all payments that act as a substitute for money, that there are no restrictions, and that they are valid at all bank POS terminals and in all sectors."

Stating that meal cards cannot be used at bank POS terminals or ATMs, Piyade shared the information: "In a closed network, they are valid only at a portion of contracted food and ready-to-consume food points such as restaurants, patisseries, grocery stores, and buffets."

Piyade used the following expressions:

"In this context, the scope of contracted businesses for meal cards, which support the registered economy through an electronic control infrastructure and operate a 100 percent registered system without tax loss, has remained the same for 30 years. Meal cards are exempt from premiums under the scope of in-kind assistance. There is no restriction whatsoever on the use of meal cards, whose existing usage areas are limited to a closed network, in restaurants, patisseries, buffets, grocery stores, cafes, and similar points."