The Ministry of Trade is preparing to implement a new regulation regarding the commissions and additional fees that online food ordering platforms collect from restaurants. Complaints submitted to the Ministry have highlighted, in particular, high commission rates, complex pricing systems, and the lack of clear disclosure regarding the fees deducted.
NO ADDITIONAL FEES CAN BE CHARGED UNDER THE NAME OF "ESSENTIAL SERVICES"
According to the prepared regulation, food ordering platforms will not be able to demand additional and arbitrary fees from restaurants under the heading of "essential services." No separate charges can be made for receiving orders electronically, transmitting them to the system, managing the payment process, and providing basic infrastructure services related to the order.
ALL DEDUCTIONS WILL BE INCLUDED ON THE ORDER SCREEN
According to the report by Sabah, platforms will display all cost items they collect from restaurants, such as commissions, courier fees, advertising fees, and visibility charges, in detail on the seller panel. At the same time, consumers will be able to see which items these costs consist of on the payment screen when placing an order.
CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION WILL NOT BE MANDATORY
With the new decision, no sanctions can be imposed on restaurants that choose not to participate in discount or campaign applications. The goal is to prevent platforms from pressuring sellers regarding campaign participation.
COMMISSION CALCULATION METHOD IS CHANGING
A new standard is also being introduced for the commission calculation method within the scope of the regulation. If no discount is applied to the product, the commission will be calculated based on the product's list price. In the event that a discount is provided by the restaurant, the commission will be charged based on the final amount paid by the customer.
PLATFORMS GRANTED TIME FOR COMPLIANCE
The Ministry of Trade has granted platforms until April 1, 2026, to comply with the regulation in question. After this date, it is expected that inspections of platforms that do not comply with transparency rules will be increased.
News Source: 12punto
