As part of efforts to protect consumers from unfair and excessive prices before Ramazan Bayram, the Turkish Ministry of Trade has continued its price inspections across the country, covering 81 cities. Today, simultaneous inspections were carried out in 11 cities, including Izmir.
Inspection Focus in Izmir
In Izmir, teams from the Izmir Trade Provincial Directorate compared shelf prices with checkout prices, reviewed invoices, and conducted weight checks. The inspections targeted markets to prevent unjust and excessive price hikes ahead of Ramazan Bayram.
Heavy Fines for Violations
Businesses found to have unfairly increased prices on popular consumer goods will face heavy fines, with each violation resulting in a penalty of up to 1.4 million TL. The Ministry has emphasized that it is closely monitoring wholesalers, supermarkets, and many sectors to prevent such price hikes, particularly during Ramazan.
Additionally, businesses that do not comply with the price label regulations will be fined 3,149 TL for each non-compliant product.
Iftar Menu Inspections
The Ministry also noted that iftar menus in restaurants and cafes are being closely monitored for compliance with regulations. Any violations will result in administrative penalties.
Inspection Results in Izmir
In the first two months of this year alone, over 6,000 businesses were inspected in Izmir, with 150,000 products checked for unfair prices and price label violations. These inspections led to fines exceeding 6 million TL. Citizens have been urged to report any businesses engaging in unfair pricing to the Ministry.
Bursa’s Pre-Bayram Inspections
In Bursa, inspections were also ramped up ahead of Ramazan Bayram to ensure no unjustified price hikes in markets, restaurants, and cafes. The inspections checked whether price labels were visible on products and if shelf prices matched checkout prices. Any discrepancies result in fines of 3,166 TL per violation.
Bursa’s Results for 2025
Bursa’s Trade Provincial Director, İsmail Aslanlar, shared that they had inspected 1,021 businesses and checked over 392,000 products. As of now, 3.8 million TL worth of fines have been imposed. He mentioned that inspections will continue throughout the Ramazan period.
The Ministry’s efforts aim to prevent any exploitation during a crucial time for consumers and to maintain fairness in the marketplace.
