Ministry of Trade Imposes 23.7 Million TL Administrative Fine in Inspections
Forex - An administrative fine of 23.7 million TL was imposed during inspections by the Ministry of Commerce.
In a written statement by the Ministry, it was stated: "As the Ministry of Commerce, in light of the announcement of the minimum wage increase, we have intensified our inspections across 81 provinces before the New Year to ensure that our citizens do not suffer from unreasonable price hikes and acts of unfair profit-making."
In the last week, an administrative fine of 13,838,753 TL was imposed during grocery store inspections. Within this scope, 5,846 businesses were inspected from December 25, 2024, to December 31, 2024, across 81 provinces. During the inspections, 577,672 products were checked, and violations were identified in 6,662 products, resulting in a total fine of 13,838,753 TL. Additionally, an investigation process regarding unfair price increases has been initiated for 3,479 companies.
Istanbul led the inspections with 797 grocery stores, followed by Ankara with 436 and Antalya with 411 inspections. The provinces with the highest number of product inspections were Ankara with 154,922 products, followed by Antalya with 93,603 and Istanbul with 73,031 products.
The provinces with the most violations identified were Istanbul with 2,932 violations, Ankara with 1,806, and Elazığ with 506 violations.
When evaluating the fines imposed during the grocery store inspections, Istanbul received an administrative fine of 6,450,400 TL, followed by Ankara with 3,973,200 TL and Bursa with 266,200 TL.
The provinces with the highest number of grocery stores under investigation for unfair pricing were Istanbul with 795, followed by Ankara with 436 and İzmir with 136.
As part of the inspections conducted on cafes and restaurants on December 30-31, 2024, the Ministry of Commerce imposed an administrative fine of 9,897,148 TL. During these inspections across 81 provinces, a total of 4,779 businesses and 285,499 products were inspected. A total of 4,551 violations were identified, resulting in a total fine of 9,897,148 TL. Additionally, an investigation process regarding unfair pricing was initiated for 735 businesses.
The province with the highest number of cafes and restaurants inspected was Istanbul with 934, followed by Ankara with 496 and Antalya with 270. The provinces with the highest number of product inspections were Istanbul with 92,013, Ankara with 43,381, and Antalya with 21,053.
As a result of the inspections, 2,829 violations were identified in Istanbul, 455 in Ankara, and 282 in Bursa. In terms of penalties for cafe and restaurant inspections, Istanbul, Ankara, and Bursa were the top three provinces with fines of 6,223,800 TL, 1,001,000 TL, and 620,400 TL, respectively. Additionally, investigations were initiated for 133 businesses in Istanbul, 69 in Kocaeli, and 48 in İzmir regarding unfair pricing.
The Ministry of Commerce will continue its fight against excessive prices and unfair profits in 2025 with the utmost sensitivity, ensuring that no actions or practices that could affect the well-being of our citizens are permitted.